G Parameshwara set to be DyCM, Siddaramaiah gets key Congress role in Karnataka reset
Bengaluru: With the swearing-in of Karnataka chief minister-designate DK Shivakumar just hours away, the Congress appears to have largely settled one of the biggest questions surrounding the new government.
Senior party leaders are learnt to have agreed on former state Congress president G Parameshwara as the deputy chief minister, giving the influential Dalit leader a prominent position in the incoming administration.
According to sources, Parameshwara is keen on being the sole deputy chief minister in the government, even as discussions continue within the party over whether additional deputy CM posts should be created.
The issue formed a key part of marathon consultations held in Delhi as the Congress leadership worked to finalise the power-sharing arrangement in Karnataka.
The talks also focused on selecting ministers for the first phase of Shivakumar’s cabinet. Around a dozen ministers are expected to be sworn in alongside the new chief minister, although the final list is awaiting approval from the party’s central leadership.
Senior Congress figures, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, have been closely involved in the discussions.
Apart from cabinet formation, deliberations have also covered the appointment of a new Karnataka Congress chief and nominations for vacancies in the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council.
Siddaramaiah inducted into Congress Working Committee
In a significant organisational move, outgoing chief minister Siddaramaiah has been inducted into the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body.
The appointment, approved by Kharge, gives the veteran leader a major role at the national level even as he steps away from the state’s top executive post.
The decision is being viewed as part of the party’s effort to maintain a balance between competing factions in Karnataka while ensuring Siddaramaiah continues to remain an influential voice within the organisation.
Congress leaders spent much of Tuesday working through caste equations, regional representation and factional interests while shaping the new ministry.
The challenge is particularly significant because Karnataka can have a maximum of 34 ministers, including the chief minister, leaving many aspirants competing for a limited number of positions.
Meanwhile, Shivakumar has publicly acknowledged the role of the Gandhi family in his political rise, crediting former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for recognising his potential early in his career.
As the Congress prepares for the formal transfer of power after three years under Siddaramaiah, the focus now shifts to how Shivakumar balances governance and internal party expectations in his first major test as chief minister.