New Delhi/Bengaluru, October 23, 2025 – In a move that has sent ripples through Karnataka's fractious political corridors, Congress high command leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Working Committee (CWC) convenor KC Venugopal, summoned Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to Delhi on Thursday for closed-door deliberations on a much-anticipated cabinet expansion. The summons, issued just a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah survived a BJP-fueled no-confidence motion in the state assembly, comes amid escalating whispers of a strategic Lingayat outreach to shore up the party's dominance in the Veerashaiva-Lingayat heartlands, potentially reshaping the 35-member ministry to include more community heavyweights and placate internal dissenters.
Shivakumar, the influential Vokkaliga strongman and Bengaluru Development Minister, landed in the capital early morning, sources in the All India Congress Committee (AICC) confirmed, for a series of huddles at the party headquarters on Akbar Road. The agenda, insiders reveal, centers on inducting 8-10 new faces into the cabinet – a long-delayed reshuffle first hinted at during the monsoon session in July – to address representation gaps and reward loyalists ahead of the 2028 assembly elections. "This isn't just expansion; it's recalibration. The high command wants balance – caste, region, and loyalty – to counter BJP's Lingayat consolidation under BY Vijayendra," a senior AICC functionary told reporters on condition of anonymity, pointing to recent surveys showing the party's Lingayat vote share dipping to 28% from 35% in 2023.
The Lingayat angle has dominated speculation, fueled by Shivakumar's behind-the-scenes lobbying for seers and mutts from the community, which claims over 1.2 crore adherents in Karnataka and has historically swung between Congress and BJP. Last week's CLP meeting, where Lingayat MLA RV Deshpande openly criticized Siddaramaiah over welfare scheme delays, amplified calls for inclusion: Potential inductees include former minister MB Patil (a Lingayat from Vijayapura) for a heavyweight portfolio like Revenue, and Basavaraj Rayareddy (Siddaramaiah's aide, despite his recent sand mining exposé) for Rural Development to mend intra-party fences. Shivakumar, himself a Vokkaliga, is pushing for a "grand bargain" that elevates Lingayats without diluting his own faction's clout, including spots for SC/ST and minority voices to maintain the coalition's social justice plank.
Siddaramaiah, who stayed back in Bengaluru to helm assembly proceedings, downplayed the Delhi trip as "routine consultations" during a media interaction post-adjournment. "The cabinet will expand soon – merit and balance will guide it. Whispers are just that; action speaks louder," the CM quipped, alluding to his own Veerashaiva roots while sidestepping questions on leadership transitions. Yet, the timing – hot on the heels of the no-trust survival – underscores the high command's proactive intervention to preempt a full-blown crisis. Congress's 2023 victory, built on a 15% Lingayat swing, is under siege from BJP's temple runs and seer endorsements, with the saffron party claiming 80% of Lingayat-dominated seats in recent bypolls.
Shivakumar's Delhi sojourn also carries undercurrents of his own ambitions. The 62-year-old, who orchestrated the party's revival through aggressive poaching and funding, has been vocal about "equitable power-sharing" in the CM-DCM dyad agreed upon post-2023 polls. Sources suggest the high command, wary of a repeat of Maharashtra's 2019 meltdown, is mulling safeguards like a formal rotation clause or enhanced deputy powers. "DK is the party's firefighter in Karnataka; rewarding him now buys loyalty and stability," opined political analyst Prof. Muzaffar Assadi of the University of Mysore. Shivakumar, reached en route to the airport, was cryptic: "I'm going to listen, discuss, and return stronger for Karnataka. Expansion will empower all communities."
Opposition BJP, sensing vulnerability, has ramped up its rhetoric. State president Vijayendra, addressing a Lingayat pontiffs' conclave in Hubballi, slammed the Congress as "anti-Lingayat," accusing it of "tokenism" while favoring Vokkaligas. "Shivakumar's Delhi darshan is a desperate bid to buy seers' silence with portfolios – but Lingayats won't be pawns," he declared, vowing to expose "caste arithmetic" in upcoming protests.
As Shivakumar's meetings stretch into the evening – with potential inputs from Rahul Gandhi's office – the expansion could be formalized by month's end, per AICC timelines. For Siddaramaiah's government, navigating guarantee arrears and drought relief, this infusion of fresh blood could be the elixir needed to sustain momentum. Yet, in Karnataka's caste cauldron, where Lingayats hold sway over 80 assembly seats, the high command's gamble on outreach risks reigniting old rivalries. Delhi's missive today may expand the cabinet, but only time will tell if it expands Congress's electoral fortunes.
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