Siddaramaiah to meet Kharge amid talk of reshuffle in Karnataka

Amid talk of a reshuffle in the Karnataka government, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge here on Monday.

Sources said Siddaramaiah is likely to meet Kharge at his residence in the evening.

While Congress leaders have said it is a courtesy meeting, sources said Siddaramaiah may discuss the cabinet expansion in the state.

There have been talks in the state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change, citing "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president.

However, Shivakumar has rubbished talk of his resignation as the state Congress chief, saying he remains a disciplined soldier of the party.

Shivakumar had met the Congress leadership on Sunday.

Siddaramaiah is also slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Delhi.

During the meeting with the Prime Minister, the CM is likely to discuss the sugarcane farmers' issue and pending approvals for Mahadayi and Mekedatu water projects, official sources said.

Siddaramaiah, on November 6, had written to the PM, seeking an appointment to discuss the sugarcane farmers' issue, amid their protest demanding a higher price of Rs 3,500 per tonne for their produce.

In the letter, he had claimed that the root of the problem lies in central policy levers: the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) formula, the stagnating Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugar, export curbs, and the under-utilised ethanol off take from sugar-based feedstock.