By Rahil Nora Chopra
Long-pending expansion and reshuffle of the Karnataka cabinet is expected soon. The Congress high command aspires to use the reshuffle to project a fresh image and also signal a generational transition within the party. Sources signal that the Congress leadership favours induction of several new faces, rather than relying solely on seasoned legislators. Both former CM Siddaramaiah and current CM DK Shivakumar are expected to submit a list of aspirants for cabinet berths to the Congress leadership. Regional and caste representation are also expected to play a prominent role in the final decision-making process. In preparation for the expansion, CM DK Shivakumar has already met Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot earlier this week to discuss the possible dates for the swearing-in ceremony and requested him to keep himself available.
PAWAR-SHINDE MEET: SANJAY RAUT VOICES SHIV SENA (UBT) DISAPPROVAL
Maharashtra politics is abuzz again. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s decision to hold a party meeting in Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s chamber at Vidhan Bhavan has triggered disagreement within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut disapproving Pawar’s meeting with Shinde. Raut categorically said senior leaders should avoid giving political legitimacy to those whom the Shiv Sena (UBT) considers responsible for splitting parties. Reacting to Raut’s criticism, NCP (SP) spokesperson Amol Matele said the Sena (UBT) leader should understand political compulsions and sought to know why he was upset over the Pawar-Shinde meeting. However, Pawar-Shinde meet has also given a cover to speculation that a camp within the Sharad Pawar’s party is keen on switching to the NDA.
THREE-CORNERED BATTLE FOR BIHAR’S BANKIPUR ASSEMBLY SEAT BYPOLL
The BJP has declared Abhishek Kumar as its debutant candidate for the high-profile Bankipur Assembly by-poll in Bihar, making way for a three-cornered battle between Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, who is also contesting elections for the first time, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Rekha Gupta. While the November 2025 Assembly election was fought with the NDA projecting Nitish as its face, the Bankipur by-poll, however, will be the first indication of public mood on whether it has approved Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary displacing Nitish Kumar in a meticulously designed and well-crafted coup. In fact, the by-election has been necessitated following Nitin Nabin’s resignation as the MLA of Bankipur, as he was elevated to the Rajya Sabha in March this year. The by-poll result will be a litmus test for Nitin Nabin too, who won as Bankipur MLA five times.
BAGHEL CLARIFIES: RAJA WARRING TO CONTINUE AS PUNJAB CONGRESS CHIEF
Power tussle in the Punjab Congress continues, with the party’s state in-charge Bhupesh Baghel ruling out the certainty of a leadership change, asserting that Amarinder Singh Raja Warring would carry on as the Punjab Congress president. Moreover, state party leaders have been making sincere attempts to resolve the ongoing issues through dialogue. Former CM Charanjit Singh Channi continues to be viewed by many Congress workers and leaders as one of the party’s prominent mass leaders in Punjab. For the party, the priority now is likely to move beyond the leadership debate and focus on organisational unity. With limited time remaining before the next assembly election, the party’s ability to coordinate its state leadership, energise its cadre and present a coherent political narrative will be closely observed.
NC DEMANDS RESTORATION OF J&K STATEHOOD, TO PROTEST AT JANTAR MANTAR
The ruling National Conference of Jammu and Kashmir has invited 52 political leaders of the country within and outside the INDIA Bloc to join the protest at Jantar Mantar for statehood restoration to J&K on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session. In a three-page letter, NC president Farooq Abdullah said the cause of federalism was not the cause of one party, one people or one region, and appealed to all to join the protest. The party also shared a list of invitees on its X handle, such as INDIA bloc leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, besides leaders of several regional parties that are not part of the alliance. The regional leaders invited comprise Mamata Banerjee, M.K. Stalin, Akhilesh Yadav, Lalu Prasad, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Asaduddin Owaisi, Uddhav Thackeray, Joseph Vijay and Sukhbir Singh Badal. Specifically Jammu and Kashmir leaders who have been invited are PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone, Engineer Rashid and Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. (IPA Service)
