Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and MLC Saleem Ahmed on Monday indicating about the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle in November, with the Karnataka government completing 2.5 years in office, said the party leadership has been requested to give opportunity to new faces.

Stating that he too is a ministerial aspirant, the Government Chief Whip in the Legislative Council said he had faced “injustice” during the previous cabinet exercise. “In November, our government will complete 2.5 years in office, cabinet expansion (reshuffle) will happen. We have already told the leadership, the chief minister, senior leaders that 50 per cent of the ministers should be given the party responsibility and new people should be given an opportunity, thereby strengthening both party organisation and the government,” Ahmed said.

Speaking to reporters, he said the Congress hopes to come back to power in 2028, and keeping all of this in mind, opportunities should be given to new faces, and “we are confident that the reshuffle will happen in November”.

Noting that he was Congress working president during 2023 Assembly polls, Ahmed said, when the cabinet was expanded subsequently, three other working presidents were made ministers, but not him. “Injustice had happened to me then, but I’m confident now that the chief minister, deputy chief minister and party leadership will give me an opportunity during the next cabinet exercise,” he said.

Stating that he has won the MLC polls from Kittu Karnataka region districts of Gadag, Dharwad and Haveri districts, he further said, “no minority person from the Kittur Karnataka region has been given an opportunity in the last 20 years...”

There has also been a demand for some time now, from a section of Congress MLAs, who are ministerial aspirants, to be inducted into the cabinet by effecting a rejig. Some have even openly expressed their wish to become ministers.

Karnataka has a sanctioned strength of 34 ministers, including the chief minister. Two berths in the cabinet are currently vacant -- B Nagendra resigned as a minister following allegations against him in connection with embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, and the recent sacking of K N Rajanna from the cabinet on instructions of the party high command.