BENGALURU: Even as disgruntled elements within the Congress lobbied for ministerial berths on Wednesday, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh had a stern message: work for drought relief first, cabinet revamp will follow.
Over 25 MLAs met Singh, who is in-charge of party affairs in the state, seeking a rejig of the cabinet by dropping 25 ministers. After daylong deliberations, where the leaders offered a bleak outlook for the party in the 2018 Assembly polls, Singh said they must concentrate on relief measures when Karnataka was reeling under drought. He also ruled out any change in leadership.
As if on cue, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced setting up of four cabinet sub-committees, one for each revenue division, to tour the state extensively from April 15 to 30 to review drought relief works and ensure speedy aid for the drought-affected people. Singh met Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G Parameshwara, a group of ministerial berth aspirants and also a separate group of MLCs on cabinet revamp, drought relief works, selection of a new KPCC president and other issues.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting Siddaramaiah said he and his ministerial colleagues would devote their energies to drought relief till the end of this month.
The cabinet sub-committees, each comprising four ministers, would visit each district and taluk under their charge, inspect drought relief works and take immediate measures to render speedy relief for the affected masses.
Changes by End of April, Assures CM
The Chief Minister also assured that cabinet revamp would happen by the end of this month. “I will go to Delhi to discuss it after touring the state to review drought relief works by the end of this month. Cabinet revamp will happen after that,” he said.
However, according to sources, the cabinet rejig would have to wait till the second week of May as party supremo Sonia Gandhi and AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi are focussed more on Assembly polls in five states right now. Sources also said that Singh disapproved the plans of ministerial aspirants to come to Delhi to discuss the issue with Sonia next week.
“No need for you to come to Delhi till you are asked to. You better focus on drought relief works when the people are suffering so much,” Singh is said to have instructed.