Trouble continues for DKS, ministers unhappy with portfolios rush to Delhi
Days after Chief Minister DK Shivakumar declared the Ramalinga Reddy rebellion resolved, fresh signs of discontent have surfaced within the Karnataka government, with two ministers unhappy over portfolio allocations making their way to Delhi for discussions with the Congress leadership.
Among them is Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who is yet to formally take charge of his department despite being allotted the portfolio. Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad has also reached the national capital, with sources saying he is seeking a place in the state Cabinet.
The developments have fuelled speculation that the portfolio exercise in Karnataka is far from over, even as the Congress leadership seeks to project unity following the recent crisis involving senior minister Ramalinga Reddy.
KRISHNA BYRE GOWDA SEEKS GREATER CONTROL
Sources said Krishna Byre Gowda is pressing the party leadership to place both the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) under the Bengaluru Development portfolio.
The minister is understood to believe that the department would have limited authority without control over the two agencies, which play a central role in planning and development across Bengaluru and its surrounding regions.
His Delhi visit has therefore triggered fresh discussion over whether the government may revisit aspects of the portfolio allocation announced after the formation of the new Cabinet.
RIZWAN ARSHAD ALSO IN DELHI
Adding to the political activity in the national capital, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad is also said to be lobbying for a Cabinet berth.
The parallel efforts by party leaders have reinforced the impression that several aspirations remain unresolved despite the formation of the government, creating a fresh challenge for Shivakumar as he seeks to stabilise his administration.
REDDY ROW MAY BE OVER, BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN
The latest developments come less than a week after Shivakumar defused a potentially damaging confrontation with senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy.
The veteran leader had resigned from the Major and Medium Irrigation portfolio after alleging that assurances made to him regarding the Bengaluru Development Department had not been honoured.
Reddy had publicly maintained that he wanted only the Bengaluru Development portfolio and claimed he had been promised the department before the Cabinet was formed.
However, the portfolio was eventually allotted to Krishna Byre Gowda, triggering a public fallout that quickly became the first major test for Shivakumar’s new government.
LATE-NIGHT PEACE TALKS
The crisis eased after a marathon late-night meeting between Shivakumar and Reddy.
“Ramalinga Reddy is my friend. All problems have been sorted out. Don’t make up stories. All those stories have become stale. The resignation issue is settled,” Shivakumar told reporters after the discussions.
Calling it a “family matter”, the Chief Minister insisted that all differences had been resolved.
Reddy later echoed the same position.
“I am saying the same thing that he told you. Everything has been resolved. That’s all,” he said.
CHALLENGE OF MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
While the Reddy episode may have been brought to an end, the movement of leaders to Delhi suggests that dissatisfaction over portfolios has not entirely disappeared.
For Shivakumar, who took office promising a united and stable administration, the challenge now extends beyond resolving one rebellion. With demands for greater powers and aspirations for Cabinet positions continuing to surface, the Congress leadership may once again have to step in to balance competing interests within Karnataka’s ruling establishment.
