Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to host a series of dinner meetings with his cabinet colleagues has triggered fresh political speculation amid the ongoing factional tension within governing Congress in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah is scheduled to host a batch of 16 ministers for dinner Monday, with more meetings expected later in the week. The move comes close on the heels of deputy CM DK Shivakumar hosting a dinner for all Congress MLAs last week, to mark his completion of six years as state Congress president. The past few weeks have also seen a series of informal dinner meetings among groups of ministers, including Lingayats led by MB Patil and Dalits led by G Parameshwara and Satish Jarkiholi. These meetings have drawn attention against the backdrop of a continuing tussle between camps led by Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar over the CM post, as well as growing demands from MLAs for a cabinet reshuffle. At Monday’s dinner, sources say Siddaramaiah is expected to urge those who have served more than two terms to make way for younger MLAs who are yet to get opportunities. A cabinet reshuffle was initially expected in Nov last year but was reportedly delayed due to heightened friction over the CM post. With byelections to Davanagere South and Bagalkot announced, several ministerial aspirants are pressing for a cabinet reshuffle immediately after the polls. “Besides providing new faces with an opportunity, a reshuffle adds freshness to govt administration and will help neutralise the anti-incumbency factor,” said Rizwan Arshad, MLA from Shivajinagar. Recently, 37 first-time MLAs reportedly signed a letter to the party high command seeking a cabinet reshuffle. Separately, 35 MLAs who were elected three times or more had planned to visit Delhi on March 26 to meet party brass, but that trip has now been postponed due to the bypolls. “A cabinet reshuffle is in the interest of the party. It is only a matter of time before the high command takes a call,” said Saleem Ahmed, Congress chief whip in legislative council.Siddaramaiah’s dinner meetings are also seen as efforts to prepare the party for the byelections and upcoming polls to the zilla and taluk panchayats. Party brass has already formed teams of ministers to oversee campaign activities in Davanagere South and Bagalkot. “We have not been told about the agenda for the dinner meeting. We will abide by whatever the party decides and are ready to shoulder any new responsibilities,” said transport minister Ramalinga Reddy.
