D K Shivakumar hints at Cabinet rejig, says message sent to some ministers

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday gave a clear indication of a reshuffle in the Cabinet, which may see the induction of fresh faces.

Shivakumar, the Karnataka Congress president, hinted at a Cabinet rejig while speaking at a party event to mark Constitution Day.

“When the UPA came to power, Sonia Gandhi decided to give the prime minister’s post to an economist, a Sikh...Manmohan Singh,” Shivakumar said, laying out the context for what he said next.

“We appoint panchayat members or chairpersons for six months, one year or two-and-a-half years. God help us when we try to get them to resign after their tenure. We have now appointed chairpersons (to various boards and corporations) for a tenure of about two years. We have sent this message to some ministers. I won’t discuss that now,” Shivakumar said.

Speculation about a reshuffle has been alive ever since the Lok Sabha poll results came out in June. The Congress was to drop “underperforming” ministers. It is now said that a Cabinet reshuffle may happen early next year.

Asked to elaborate, Shivakumar vaguely told reporters: “There is still time. We have to believe in sharing and caring.”