Karnataka Ministers Head to Delhi Over Unhappiness With DK Shivakumar's Portfolio Allocation

Political tensions have surfaced within the Karnataka government over portfolio allocation, with discontent reportedly brewing in Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s Cabinet following disagreements over control of key Bengaluru development agencies. The issue centres on Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who was assigned the Bengaluru Development portfolio but has reportedly not formally taken charge.

Sources indicate that his reluctance stems from dissatisfaction over the continued control of major urban planning bodies, including the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), remaining under the authority of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

According to party insiders, Krishna Byre Gowda has communicated his concerns to the Congress high command, arguing that without control over BDA and BMRDA, the Bengaluru Development portfolio lacks the administrative scope required for effective governance. The agencies are considered critical to urban planning, land regulation, and infrastructure development in the rapidly expanding state capital.

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In addition to the core agencies, Gowda is currently overseeing the broader Greater Bengaluru Development portfolio, which includes proposed city corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), as well as institutions such as the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

However, sources suggest he remains dissatisfied with what he sees as fragmented authority over key planning functions. Reports further indicate that Krishna Byre Gowda has travelled to New Delhi to seek clarity from the party leadership on the allocation issue. He is expected to press for either the transfer of BDA and BMRDA under his department or a revision of his portfolio to ensure greater administrative coherence.

The matter has also been escalated within the party, with Gowda said to have discussed the issue with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala. The intervention of the party’s central leadership is now being viewed as crucial in resolving the internal disagreement and preventing further friction within the state Cabinet.

The latest development comes shortly after another controversy involving minister Ramalinga Reddy, who had briefly resigned on June 5 over dissatisfaction with portfolio allocation but later withdrew his resignation following assurances from the party high command. The back-to-back incidents underscore continuing tensions within the Karnataka Congress government over power-sharing and administrative control in key departments.

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