Congress leaders in Karnataka, like their counterparts in some of the Congress-ruled States, are seeking to call the shots ahead of the general elections in an attempt to land plum posts, including in the Ministry.
At a time when the party leadership is gearing up to finalise the list of candidates, a section of the ruling party legislators is seeking ministerial berths or chairmanship in government boards and corporations. It is another matter that AICC president Sonia Gandhi has reportedly turned down the request of the legislators, who were in New Delhi over the past week, for an appointment.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has categorically conveyed to the legislators concerned that the recent induction of two legislators in the Ministry was based on a decision of the party high command and that he had no role to play in it. The two Ministers are D.K. Shivakumar and R. Roshan Baig, with the former having served as working president of the State unit of the party.
The strength of the Ministry is 31 and this can be raised to be a maximum of 34, and the demand of some of the senior legislators is the need to fill these vacancies ahead of the elections.
The legislators, including five-time MLA Malikayya Guttedar, the former Ministers A.B. Maalakaraddy and K.B. Koliwad, believe that this is time that they can exert pressure on the party to consider their demand.
After being sworn in on May 13, Mr. Siddaramaiah expanded his Cabinet on May 18 by inducting 28 Ministers and followed it up with the induction of S.R. Patil, an MLC, and two more Ministers on January 1. However, prior to the latest round of expansion, one of the Ministers of State — Santosh Lad — quit after allegations were made against him.
In their view, there is also the need to drop at least three Ministers against whom some allegations have been levelled. Resultantly, “there is a possibility to accommodate at least six more legislators in the Cabinet. Further, some of the senior legislators can be nominated to the Planning Board, as the State’s representative at the Centre, and as the Chief Minister’s political secretary. We are seeking more representation from north Karnataka for these posts,” Mr. Koliwad told The Hindu .
A team of MLAs, including Mr. Koliwad and Mr. Guttedar, that recently went to Delhi to meet Ms. Gandhi, have reportedly shot off another letter seeking her intervention.
“We could not meet the top leaders. But we have submitted our representation to AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and have apprised him of the situation here. We have requested him to ensure that the expansion happens before the polls as it would benefit the party,” Mr. Koliwad said.
