Following the Congress party’s decision to form the government under Siddaramaiah’s leadership in the State, legislators have begun lobbying for Cabinet berths. As the number of MLAs elected on the party ticket this time is higher than in previous elections, the process to finalise the list of Ministers would be tricky.
In the Malnad region, the Congress has improved its strength since the last elections, and hence party workers are aspiring for more Ministerial berths. The Congress has won three seats in Shivamogga, and all three are in the race for Cabinet berths. Madhu Bangarappa, who heads the party’s Backward Classes’ wing, is hoping for a prime portfolio, according to his followers. Madhu Bangarappa has been elected to the Assembly for the second time. Earlier, he represented the JD(S) in 2013.
Belur Gopalakrishna, a three-time MLA from Sagar, is also an aspirant. On the last two occasions, he was elected on the BJP ticket. Both Mr. Madhu and Mr. Belur Gopalakrishna belong to the Ediga community, and it is expected that one of them might get a place in the Cabinet. B.K. Sangameshwara, a Lingayat, has been elected for the fourth time from the Bhadravati constituency.
In Chikkamagaluru, considered a strong bastion of the BJP, the party has won all five seats. Of them, T.D. Raje Gowda and G.H. Srinivas are two-time MLAs. Nayana Motamma, daughter of former Minister Motamma, K.S. Anand, and H.D. Thammaiah are the first-time MLAs. Mr. Thammaiah defeated the BJP’s national general secretary, C.T. Ravi. The party has to give due representation to the district, considering its people’s support for the party.
K.M. Shivalinge Gowda is the only Congress MLA from Hassan district. He joined the Congress before the elections and succeeded in representing Arsikere for the fourth time. He is confident of getting entry into the Cabinet. During the election, too, he expressed his wish to become a Minister.
