BENGALURU: Congress legislators unhappy with the style of functioning of many ministers are expected to raise their grievances again at the extended meeting of the party’s legislature committee starting here on Friday.
According to a party source, the MLAs are upset with some ministers for not listening to their requests for the transfer of officers and release of development funds to their constituencies.
A senior Congress MLA from Kalaburagi district told Express that the CLP meeting has been convened to discuss reforms in the Panchayat Raj system. “But it is expected to be an event which will witness the virtual evaluation of the performance of many ministers,” the MLA said.
Some ministers, including Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra, Higher Education Minister R V Deshapande, Revenue Minister V Srinivasa Prasad, PWD Minister H C Mahadeva Prasad, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and Irrigation Minister M B Patil, had come under fire from legislators at the previous CLP meeting held in Belagavi during the winter session of the legislature last month. The CM had a tough time steering the meeting, and some ministers had staged a walkout in a huff over some MLAs’ outbursts against them.
In an attempt to soothe the legislators, Siddaramaiah, who had ended the meeting abruptly, promised to convene a lengthy meeting in Bengaluru after the session. He had assured them that they would get an opportunity to speak freely.
CLP secretary and Muddebihal MLA Appaji Nadagouda told Express, “The meeting has been convened mainly to discuss the adoption of the expert committee report on bringing reforms in the Panchayat Raj system.” He said there is no serious discontent among party MLAs on the functioning of some ministers. “The CM has promised to look into the grievances of the MLAs and he has already held district-wise legislators’ meeting without the ministers,” he said.