No Cabinet reshuffle on cards: Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar

New Delhi: karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday dismissed specula tion about leadership change in the congress-led government in the state, saying there are currently no plans to alter the cabinet composition.

 "No cabinet reshuffle is on the cards. Myself and the chief minis ter are meeting central ministers to discuss various state issues," Shivakumar told reporters. When asked about the buzz that he will take over as chief minister after completion of two and-half-years of the Congress government in the state, Shivaku mar termed it media speculation and clarified there is no such plan.

The Karnataka Congress has been under scrutiny over reports of a rotational chief minister ar rangement between Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah following the party's victory in the 2023 Assembly elections. While both leaders have pub licly denied any such formal agreement, speculation contin ues to persist within party circles.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had recently said there is no proposal before the party for an immediate reshuffle and that the media would be informed if such a decision were made. While few ministers are report edly under scrutiny for perfor mance and corruption concerns, these claims have not been officially acknowledged by the gov ernment or party leadership.

Shivakumar said Siddaramaiah said. He said the state govern ment plans to withdraw a case f iled in the Supreme Court in this is meeting Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to seek permission for an air show that has become a signature event during Mysuru Dasara, celebrated in Septem ber-end.

He also said four vacant MLC positions will be filled before the next assembly session. Shivakumar, who also holds the water resources portfolio, said he met Union Environment and Jal Shakti ministers on Tuesday and demanded early clearance of several water projects, including the Yettinahole Project and Ka lasa Banduri project.

On the Yettinahole Integrated Water Supply project, the deputy chief minister said the Centre has stalled works in Tumkur and Has san districts citing forest land is sues.

"We have given alterna tive land and sought early forest clearance so that work can continue," he said. The project ad dresses acute drink ing water shortages in drought-prone districts of southern Karnataka and aims to supply water to approximately 75 lakh people across regard and is taking legal opinion on the same.

Shivakumar also demanded that the Union government is sue a gazette notification for the 6,657 villages and 38 towns. The deputy chief minister said he also sought early forest clear ance for the Kalasa-Banduri Proj ect from the Centre, saying the tender has already been issued. In the meeting, he informed that the Goa government issued a show cause notice to Karna taka in 2023 objecting to works falling under Mahadayi Wildlife Sanctuary.

"It is a drinking water project and will not affect Goa. Goa can not dictate us. Let the central government decide this matter," h e Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal verdict concerning the allocation of Krishna river waters among the riparian states of Karnataka, Ma harashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

"Twice the meeting was post poned without any reasons. I was told a meeting will be held this month on this issue," he added. (Agencies)