With Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai heading for Delhi for the second time in less than a week, the opposition parties are questioning the delay in the formation of the new cabinet, especially at a time when the state is facing the twin challenges of Covid-19 and floods.After the 2018 Assembly election, the state has got the third Chief Minister in Basavaraj Bommai. The previous Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who took over on July 27, 2019, had remained a one-man cabinet for about a month till he expanded his ministry on August 20 that year.
With Bommai too heading a one-man government ever since he took oath on July 28 this year, the Opposition has raised questions on the timing of the cabinet formation in the light of the predicted third wave of Covid-19 and the flood damage. “If a Chief Minister can be elected in one day, why cannot a cabinet be put in place immediately? When decisions need to be taken, why dilly-dally over cabinet formation?” the leaders asked.
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah who was in Uttara Kannada district hearing out the long list of woes of the flood-affected people, told The New Indian Express, “There is a serious flood situation and people have faced huge losses. This is a priority and the government needs to pay attention. They could have expedited the ministry expansion by sending a list immediately and then deciding on it. There was no need to go to Delhi for a second time. It shows the irresponsibility of the government and also that they are not serious about the problems of people.’’
“Our neighbouring states are seeing high Covid-19 cases. Karnataka is registering close to 2,000 each day and the third wave is almost here. Yes, they should form the cabinet, but it should be done at once, rather than by making repeated trips to Delhi,” he told reporters in Karwar.
He also lashed out at BJP MLAs saying, “Everybody is camping in Bengaluru. They want to become ministers. This reflects their insensitiveness. They are highly irresponsible. The BJP is highly corrupt.” On Bommai meeting JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda and the JDS warming up to BJP, Siddaramaiah said, “The JDS is no more a secular party. Now, they have performed the last rites of secularists.”Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar said, “Let the people understand how they are conducting the administration, that is enough.’’
JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy told TNIE, “This is an unprecedented situation and there are so many pressing problems. The CM has gone to Delhi on a second visit. They are wasting precious time waiting for the party high command’s decision. Could it not have been managed better? On important issues, the PM has meetings with chief ministers virtually. Why could this also have not been done virtually? It is our misfortune that we have a government like this.”