Siddaramaiah meets Sonia, Rahul in Delhi ahead of cabinet expansion in Karnataka

New Delhi (IANS) | A day after meeting senior party leaders to discuss cabinet expansion in the state, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday met former party presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at their residence. Siddaramaiah, who arrived in the national capital on Wednesday evening, met Sonia Gandhi for the first time after taking oath as the chief minister last Saturday in Bengaluru.

The meeting between the three leaders lasted for over 30 minutes, during which they also discussed on fulfilling the promises made by the party to the people of the state and focus on governance.

It is also learned that the leaders discussed the cabinet expansion in the state.

On Thursday, Siddaramaiah, along with his deputy D.K. Shivakumar’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala and party general secretary (organisation) K.C. Discussed Venugopal cabinet expansion.

At least 20 to 24 names were discussed during the meeting between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar with Surjewala and Venugopal.

The source said that 20 to 24 more ministers will take oath on Saturday around 11.30 am.

However, senior party leaders did not say anything in this regard.

On Saturday, apart from taking oath as Chief Minister of Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister of DK Shivakumar, eight more ministers G. Parmeshwar, K.H. Muniyappa, K.J. George, M.B. Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyanka Kharge, Ramalimaga Reddy and B.Z. Jamir Ahmad Khan also took the oath.

However, no portfolio has been allotted to any of them so far.

The source said the Congress will have to strike a balance in cabinet allocation as it needs to balance the demands of different communities.

The politically important Lingayat community is expected to get more berths in the cabinet.

–IANS