Even as the Congress high command finalises the contours of the DK Shivakumar-led government, the battle for cabinet berths has already intensified. MLAs and MLCs from Karnataka's Kolar region have jointly petitioned the party leadership, demanding representation in the new cabinet and arguing that the region's electoral support for the Congress deserves a ministerial reward. With factional balancing, caste equations and regional aspirations all in play, lobbying has shifted into high gear as leaders compete for a place in Karnataka's next power structure.