Karnataka Cabinet rejig likely after elections in 5 States: Ahmed

Vijayapura: Amid speculation over a possible Cabinet rejig in the State, Chief Whip of the Congress party in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed on Sunday said that the exercise was likely to be undertaken after the conclusion of elections to the five States scheduled this year.

Interacting with reporters in Vijayapura, Ahmed said that half the members currently serving in the Cabinet were likely to be relieved of their posts, and tasked with strengthening the party organisation. “The party seniors have been intimated about the need to induct fresh faces into the Cabinet. The party high command too has responded favourably to this idea,” he added.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with the rest of the high command, will decide on a change of guard in the state, he said. “The high command has instructed us against speaking about the Chief Minister being changed,” Ahmed added.

Underscoring his contribution to the Congress’s triumph in the 2023 Assembly elections, Ahmed added, “As the party’s working president, I worked hard to ensure the party’s victory. Eshwar Khandre and Satish Jarkiholi, both of whom had served as working presidents, were inducted into the Cabinet. So I am hopeful of a Cabinet berth when the reshuffle happens.”