Bengaluru, 25 June

The Congress high command has instructed Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to reject lobbying by aspirants seeking positions in the state cabinet, official sources said. A senior party leader told the CM to curb attempts to exert pressure through protests by supporters and other means, sources said. Amid increasing pressure from aspirants seeking ministerial berths in the state cabinet, a high command representative called Shivakumar on Wednesday, sources said. Shivakumar was sworn-in as the CM along with 13 Ministers on June 3, following Siddaramaiah's resignation as chief minister on May 28. With the sanctioned strength of Karnataka's ministry being 34, including the CM, 20 berths are still vacant, and pressure is mounting on Shivakumar to expand his cabinet. With many ministerial aspirants and limited berths available, Shivakumar has a tightrope to walk, as he risks large-scale disgruntlement among those who will be left out, according to party sources. The high command has told Shivakumar that in recent days, supporters of ministerial aspirants have staged protests, and there have been attempts to exert pressure through pontiffs and religious leaders. These developments have been widely reported in the media and have caused the party "embarrassment." Shivakumar has been asked not to allow MLAs and MLCs to meet in groups to press demands for ministerial positions. He has been told to communicate to party leaders that Congress will not tolerate lobbying for cabinet posts, political pressure tactics, or such activities under any circumstances, sources said. Noting that the party will follow a "zero tolerance" policy on this issue, the high command said the party will decide on cabinet expansion at an appropriate time. If such lobbying attempts are repeated, the party will view them very seriously, sources added. Speaking to Muslim religious leaders who had met him with a demand to make MLC Salim Ahmed Minister, Shivakumar on Monday said that the cabinet expansion will be decided by the Congress high command and his job is to implement the list they provide.