BENGALURU: With Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hinting at a cabinet reshuffle at the dinner he hosted on Monday evening, a host of aspirants have already started lobbying for ministerial berths.
Many, including Magadi MLA HC Balakrishna and Sagar MLA Gopalakrishna Beluru, have openly evinced confidence of making the cut.
“The CM and DCM DK Shivakumar have promised me and I hope that the high command will consider my seniority,” Balakrishna told reporters recently. He also hoped that Shivakumar would be considered by the high command for the CM’s post, sometime in future. “Shivakumar has contributed in bringing the party to power,” he stated.
Beluru also claimed that he is a strong contender from Shivamogga district. There were rumours that Primary and Secondary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, also hailing from Ediga community, may be given a post in the party organisation if he were dropped from the cabinet.
Siddaramaiah, at the banquet, had told some ministers that they will be given a graceful send-off, with alternative posts in the party, if dropped from the cabinet in the event of a reshuffle, likely in December, after the Bihar Assembly polls. The party high command is currently busy with those elections. If it approves, 12-15 ministers are likely to be replaced with new faces to energise the administration, sources informed.
Congress chief whip in the Council Saleem Ahmed, senior leader BK Hariprasad, Narasimharaja MLA Tanvir Sait, Sira MLA TB Jayachandra, chief whip in the Assembly Ashok Pattan, and former minister Lakshman Savadi, among others, are eyeing cabinet berths, according to sources.
Meanwhile, SC Left leaders have been demanding three berths in the reshuffle. Currently, they have only two ministers — Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa and Excise Minister RB Thimmapur.
Muniyappa’s daughter and two-time KGF MLA Roopkala Shashidhar and MLC Sudham Das have emerged as frontrunners. The SC Right has three ministers, including Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge.
Bangarapete MLA SN Narayanaswamy, Anekal MLA B Shivanna, who refused to become the BMTC chairman, Malavalli MLA and Pollution Control Board chairman PM Narendraswamy, Hubli-Dharwad East MLA Abbayya Prasad, and Kollegal MLA AR Krishnamurthy, are also aspiring for portfolios.
