Overview
- The expansion is imminent but not final, with the Congress high command signalling approval contingent on consultations after Rahul Gandhi returned from his foreign trip.
- Chief Minister D K Shivakumar travelled to New Delhi on Wednesday to hold talks with party leaders and central ministers as part of the consultation process.
- AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge has publicly said the exercise will happen at the earliest once Rahul Gandhi is available to consult, keeping the final list in Delhi’s hands.
- Senior figures including former CM Siddaramaiah are scheduled to meet the high command this week and have been lobbying strongly for specific names, with B K Hariprasad reported as a leading candidate backed by Siddaramaiah.
- The party is under pressure to complete appointments before the Assembly’s monsoon session to ease administrative strain during drought response and upcoming local polls and to balance regional, community and factional representation.