Rahul assured place in cabinet, says Yathindra

Yathindra Siddaramaiah, son of outgoing Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, stated on Monday that he is confident of being included in the new cabinet led by Chief Minister-designate D.K. Shivakumar. He dismissed rumors that he was being considered for the deputy chief minister position.

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Last time I visited the high command, Rahul Gandhi said that my interest will be taken care of, and he said I would be inducted into the cabinet, so I’m hopeful. Whatever the portfolio is, I’ll be happy.

"Last time I visited the high command, Rahul Gandhi said that my interest will be taken care of, and he said I would be inducted into the cabinet, so I’m hopeful. Whatever the portfolio is, I’ll be happy," Yathindra told reporters in Bengaluru. He explicitly stated he was not seeking the deputy chief minister role.

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His remarks came as Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah traveled to New Delhi to consult with Congress leadership on the cabinet's composition. The swearing-in ceremony is set for Wednesday at 4 p.m. Party insiders suggest that not all ministerial positions will be filled immediately, with the first round of inductions possibly limited to about 10 ministers. The remaining berths are expected to be filled later next month, potentially after the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha elections.

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I think that tonight there will also be a meeting, and tomorrow, I think there will be a meeting to take ministries in Karnataka. Swearing in ceremony will be on Wednesday at 4 pm. I am also sincerely trying, but I think there are two instalments, and I think as per my information, in the first instalment, 10 members’ swearing in ceremony will be there.

Discussions in Delhi are also expected to cover the formation of a coordination committee, a decision that rests entirely with the Congress leadership. Other organizational matters, including the possibility of appointing deputy chief ministers, may also be on the agenda. The leadership aims to ensure representation across various regions and communities in the new cabinet.

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The high command will decide on the coordination committee or all other screening committees. High command will decide; we cannot decide anything. They will not ask our opinion also because that is a purely high command decision.