From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jun 27: With Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah leaving for Delhi on Tuesday evening as one of the proposers for the filing of nomination of Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as the combined opposition candidate for the ensuing Presidential polls, speculation is ripe in political circles in Bengaluru that he may seek approval from the party high command for the expansion of his cabinet.

Dalit leader and former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram’s daughter Meera Kumar is the candidate of the 17-party opposition combine against BJP’s Ram Nath Kovind, also a Dalit and former Bihar Governor.

While Kovind has already filed his nomination papers on behalf of the NDA, Kumar will be filing her nomination papers on Wednesday.

Siddaramaiah is expected to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi to seek the approval for filling the three vacancies in his cabinet.

While former Cooperation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad had died, another Cabinet Minister H Y Meti had to resign over alleged rape and publication of video tape, which later turned out to be untrue. The KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara, who was also Home Minister, had to resign following the party high command’s decision to allow him to continue in his post.

In view of next year’s assembly polls, the Chief Minister is keen on filling the three vacancies early so as to allow sufficient time for the new ministers and all others to devote their time in preparing for the elections.

Congress party insiders claim that the Cabinet expansion could take place in the next week itself if the Chief Minister gets the party high command’s green signal.

It is believed that Siddaramaiah is keen on appointing B Ramalinga Reddy or Santhosh Lad, both of whom are known to be staunch supporters of the Chief Minister, as the next Home Minister.

Venugopal arrives in city

Meanwhile, AICC General Secretary and Congress party in-charge for the State K C Venugopal arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday to hold talks with party leaders.

Venugopal’s meetings with the district leaders assume significance in view of the former MP A H Vishwanth quitting the party and launching a diatribe against the Chief Minister.

The AICC General Secretary held talks with party leaders from Ballari, Vijayapur, Hassan and Chikkaballapura districts.

He is scheduled to hold meetings with 16 different party morchas including SC/STs, Kisan, OBC and Mahila Morcha etc on Wednesday.

The meetings with members of the District Congress Committee (DCC) are being organised after four AICC secretaries submitted their reports on each district under their zones after travelling through the districts.

Congress sources said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had asked Venugopal to direct the senior leaders to attend through the meetings so that the issues can be resolved amicably.

Venugopal would attend the party’s convention at Koodala Sangama in Bagalakote on June 28 where S R Patil would be sworn in as the KPCC working president of North Karnataka.