BENGALURU/BELAGAVI: Amid hectic lobbying by legislators of both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), the coalition party leaders seem to have finally decided to take up the much-awaited ministry expansion by this month-end. In the 34-member ministry, the Congress got 22 ministerial berths and JD(S) 12 slots. Of these, six from Congress and two from JD (S) are vacant.
“It has been decided to induct six legislators from the Congress and two from the JD(S) into ministry by November-end,” Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara told reporters in Belagavi on Saturday. “Of the eight legislators to be inducted into the ministry, one may be from Belagavi,” he said. Though he did not elaborate, former minister Satish Jarkiholi, legislators Laxmi Hebbalkar and Anjali Nimbalkar from the district are lobbying for a cabinet berth.
By taking up ministry expansion before the winter session of the state legislature next month, the party leadership hopes to placate senior leaders, who are miffed over the delay. The ministry expansion was put off several times in the last few months. “They have been talking about ministry expansion for the last four months. We are not sure when they will do it,” said a senior Congress leader.
In Bengaluru, senior Congress leaders including AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao and other leaders held series of meetings. After the meeting, Dinesh too said the cabinet expansion will be completed by this month-end.
Congress legislators lobbying for ministerial berths met senior party leaders. “I have discussed ministry expansion and requested him to give priority to my district,” B C Patil said. Patil is an MLA from Hirekerur in Haveri district.
“Ministry expansion and also appointments to boards and corporations will be completed soon,” said KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre. Ruling out any trouble due to delay in ministry expansion, he said that no Congress MLA will join the BJP. Some Congress leaders, however, said the expansion could take more time and is likely to happen in December after assembly polls in MP, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh as the party top leaders are busy campaigning there.
I too want to become CM: DyCM
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said he too is interested in becoming the chief minister. “Every leader is interested in becoming CM and so am I. I have worked as president of KPCC for eight years. However, I am committed to working in any post and responsibility given to me by the party high command,” he said when asked about speculations that the state may have a dalit leader as CM. Reacting to Parameshwara’s statement, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said there is no need to blow his statement out of proportion.