Siddharamaiah meets PM; to form cabinet on Saturday

Karnataka Chief Minister K Sidharamaiah will form his cabinet on Saturday. The chief minister, who was sworn-in on Monday, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Thursday, which he described as a ‘courtesy call’.

The chief minister will also meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other leaders during his stay in the national capital.

Siddaramaiah will need to ensure a caste balance while forming his cabinet. There is already a demand to introduce two deputy chief ministers in order to please the Dalit and Lingayat communities who voted for the Congress in large numbers.

Moreover, the Muslims are also seeking good representation in the cabinet.

Shortly after his arrival in New Delhi, he had made it clear that people with clean image will find place in his Cabinet to be formed in a couple of days.

He was chosen the Congress Legislature Party leader on Saturday after he upstaged party warhorse Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge for the coveted post.

Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief G Parameshwara had led the Congress battle against BJP in the May 5 assembly polls, which paid rich dividends as the party riding on anti-incumbency put up an impressive show winning 121 seats, eight more than the required strength in the 224-member House.

With PTI inputs