Overview
- Thirty-one first-time Congress legislators wrote to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge seeking inclusion in the Karnataka Cabinet, with the letter surfacing publicly on Monday.
- The group asks that at least five newcomers be inducted, arguing for youth representation and better performance as the party looks ahead to the 2028 Assembly elections.
- Signatories span factions linked to both Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, including A S Ponnanna and Iqbal Hussain, signaling a coordinated push by first-term MLAs.
- Iqbal Hussain publicly urged a change of guard along with a reshuffle and criticized some ministers’ performance, reflecting growing discontent within the ranks.
- Congress leaders have not finalized a reshuffle, with uncertainty tied to leadership questions, and party figures note any changes remain at the chief minister and high command’s discretion under the 34-minister cap.