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A day after Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy expanded his Cabinet by inducting eight new faces, a few Congress party veterans have raised the banner of revolt against the ruling Congress-Janata Dal-Secular coalition government.
Ramalinga Reddy, a seven-time MLA and a former minister from Bengaluru, was in particular very vocal and questioned his omission from the Cabinet. He said the party’s idea to drop seniors to accommodate newcomers is fine. “But why does that apply to me and not to RV Deshpande, G Parameshwara, DK Shivakumar or KJ George? They deserve to be in the Cabinet, no doubt, but it isn’t fair on the part of the leaders to sideline me.” The Congress then offered his daughter, also an MLA, the post of Parliamentary Secretary. However, it did not pacify Reddy or his daughter.
Another veteran Shamnur voiced displeasure by accusing former chief minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka in-charge KC Venugopal of depriving him of a Cabinet berth.
Ramesh Jarkiholi — a legislator from Belagavi — was dropped from the Cabinet to accommodate his brother Satish. It is alleged that he was getting closer to the BJP, something that the Congress felt could harm its fortunes in north Karnataka.
Defending decisions
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Raosaid, “While trying permutations and combinations, there will be winners and losers. This time, we were particular to include a few MLAs from north Karnataka for they were left out in the first round of Cabinet formation.”
In the backdrop of rising dissidence in the Congress, the party high command will send its Karnataka in-charge, KC Venugopal to sort out the issue by holding meetings with Coordination Committee Chairman Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and KPCC President Dinesh Gundurao, a senior party member said.
The developments come at a time when the BJP, with just 10 MLAs short of forming its government, is keenly watching the Congress and its coalition partner JD(S).
Balancing act
The Congress has accommodated a few MLA/ministerial aspirants by postings them as Parliamentary Secretaries, and heads of boards and corporations.
With the Cabinet expansion, the Congress has occupied its quota of 22 seats in the 32-member Council of Ministers.
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