Senior Congress MLA and the government’s Chief Whip Ashok Pattan on Friday said there was “no concept of seniors and juniors in the party for becoming the Ministers and all those who have godfather and lucky will become Ministers.”
Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Pattan said, “Once in the party, all are treated equally. Now, whoever is lucky, will become a Minister. Whichever field it is, there must be a godfather.” He further said, “My father is a freedom fighter and my mother was a MLA. Though, hailing from such a family, I have not been given a Cabinet post. It seems there is something wrong with my stars.”
No leaving party
However, the MLA clarified that he will remain in the Congress irrespective of whether he gets a Cabinet berth or not.
Mr. Pattan said the party high command would decide the chief ministerial candidate after two-and-a-half years. He claimed that the State Cabinet reshuffle too will be taken up and the new faces will be inducted.
Mr. Pattan stated that State in-charge and AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and senior leaders have assured him that he would be inducted into the Cabinet based on seniority and loyalty to the party. “After 2.5 years, the State Cabinet is going to be revamped. I was supposed to become a Minister but I have not got the post due to some caste calculations,” he stated.
Another Congress MLA N.A. Haris said the government had given a good administration and there is nothing wrong in a Cabinet reshuffle. “We have done good work. We have been assured that the Cabinet post would be given. Let’s wait and see.”
“Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is a deserving candidate to become the Chief Minister. The high command’s decision has to be made in this regard,” Mr Haris said.
