Mallikarjun Kharge said he had not received any proposal for changes to the Karnataka Cabinet amid growing political speculation.
Kharge says no proposal has reached him
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has said that no formal proposal concerning a reshuffle of the Karnataka Cabinet has been placed before him, pushing back against reports that changes in the ministry could be imminent.
Kharge addressed the speculation while speaking to reporters during a visit to Kalaburagi on Thursday. When asked whether ministers were likely to be inducted or removed, he said he had no information about any such plan.
Responding in a light-hearted manner, the AICC president said he was in Kalaburagi and asked journalists to tell him if they had information about the proposed changes. However, he made it clear that any decision involving a ministerial appointment or removal would eventually require his attention.
Kharge said such a proposal would not bypass the Congress leadership. He added that he would share information with reporters once a formal plan reached him for consideration. His comments indicated that political discussions may be taking place, but no final recommendation has arrived at the party’s highest organisational level.
Reshuffle speculation continues in Karnataka
Reports about a possible Cabinet reorganisation have intensified amid demands from Congress legislators seeking ministerial representation and speculation that the party may replace a small number of incumbents.
A reshuffle could give the Congress leadership an opportunity to address regional, social and political representation while also responding to concerns about the performance of individual ministers. However, Kharge’s statement suggests that no approved list of proposed changes was before him as of Thursday.
His remarks did not completely rule out a future reshuffle. Instead, they established that any report claiming that the final selection of ministers had already been completed was premature.
Cabinet changes generally require consultations involving the state leadership and the Congress high command. Recommendations must account for administrative performance, party organisation, regional balance and the political consequences of inducting or dropping individual lawmakers.
Kharge’s comments are therefore likely to temporarily cool expectations of an immediate announcement. They do not end the broader debate within the party over how the ministry should be structured.
Nagendra row adds to political pressure
The reshuffle discussion has also become linked to opposition demands for the removal of Planning and Statistics Minister B Nagendra. The BJP and its alliance partner, Janata Dal (Secular), have stepped up pressure over allegations connected to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation funds case. Nagendra has denied wrongdoing and has described the campaign against him as politically motivated.
The BJP has announced a 10-day padayatra from Raichur to Ballari beginning September 1. The march is expected to cover approximately 170 kilometres and will seek Nagendra’s resignation while highlighting other allegations against the state government.
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra said senior leaders from the BJP and JD(S) would participate in the campaign. The march is scheduled to conclude in Ballari on September 10.
The opposition’s strategy places the Congress leadership under pressure to defend Nagendra or take action before the campaign gathers momentum. However, Kharge did not indicate that any proposal concerning Nagendra had reached him.
Congress high command retains final role
Kharge’s remarks underline the central role of the Congress high command in decisions involving ministerial appointments and removals.
Even if discussions are underway within the Karnataka unit, any proposed changes would require a formal consultation process before being announced. This could include discussions with senior state leaders, ministers, legislators and national office-bearers.
The Congress must also balance calls for new representation against the risks of upsetting existing political equations. Removing ministers may create fresh discontent, while delaying changes could frustrate legislators who believe they deserve an opportunity.
For now, Kharge’s statement leaves the Cabinet reshuffle question open but confirms that no final proposal has reached him. Political attention will remain focused on whether the state leadership sends a recommendation to New Delhi and whether the Nagendra controversy accelerates that process.
