Karnataka: Former Ministers disappointed over not being included in Cabinet

The discontent among elder Cabinet Ministers implicit allocation of portfolios whitethorn person been sorted retired by the Congress leadership, but the enactment is facing unit implicit not including elder Ministers who were successful the erstwhile Siddaramaiah Cabinet successful Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s Cabinet.

After the swearing successful of 13 Ministers on with Mr. Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, respective elder leaders who failed to find a spot are believed to beryllium upset. The Congress, with 135 legislators, is besides witnessing aggravated contention among the legislators, who privation to get into the Cabinet, which cannot person much than 34 Ministers successful Karnataka.  The enlargement of the Cabinet is being expected aft Rajya Sabha elections, scheduled connected June 18.

Senior Muslim person from Bengaluru B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan’s exclusion from the Cabinet seems to person not gone down good with the leader, who has been earlier credited with consolidating Muslim votes for the Congress successful past elections. His exclusion from the Cabinet, which is expected to beryllium expanded by the month-end, has been attributed to episodes astir the Davangere South Assembly bypoll, successful which helium has been accused of moving against the party.

Protests successful assorted places successful the State against the dropping of Mr. Ahmed person been reported, and it is learnt that Muslim spiritual leaders person besides met to sermon the issue. The exclusion is being seen arsenic attempts by definite sections wrong the enactment to sideline Mr. Ahmed, to let others leaders to emerge. Meanwhile, D.K. Suresh, member of the Chief Minister, has besides held discussions with him.

Sources adjacent to him said that the erstwhile Minister is assured of getting into the Cabinet during the expansion. “The information that the Muslim quota from Bengaluru has not been filled and the Housing and Minorities Development portfolio not fixed to anyone is an indication,” the sources argued. Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi told presspersons successful Belagavi connected Sunday (June 7) that the enactment precocious bid would instrumentality an due determination successful this respect and guarantee that nary assemblage was treated unfairly.

Former KPPC president and erstwhile Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who expected a telephone for inclusion successful the Ministry but has been near out, is besides learnt to beryllium disappointed. While helium has not made immoderate comments, his woman Tabu Rao’s station connected ‘X’ is being interpreted politically: “In the conflict of religion and castes… I wonderment if merit, performance, competence, enactment loyalty, hard enactment enactment and integrity matter! Same successful concern and worse successful politics.”

Meanwhile, erstwhile Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil has been making noises cryptically connected ‘X’ aft not being fixed the Cabinet berth. When Ramalinga Reddy, who had resigned — embarrassing the authorities — implicit being denied the Bengaluru Development portfolio, Mr. Patil had warned, “His (Mr. Reddy) resignation is simply a monolithic aftermath up call! I impulse the applicable leaders to bestow their superior attraction to resoluteness this substance justly.” Mr. Reddy’s way shows that determination is simply a necessity for introspection astir the existent interior matters successful the party, helium added. Mr. Reddy has been mollified. Earlier, successful different post, portion accepting the precocious command’s determination connected the Cabinet formation, Mr. Patil said, “The way is ever pugnacious for those who basal by ideology.”

Party sources said that the mode successful which the Congress Central enactment has handled the resignation of Mr. Reddy and managed seasoned person K.H. Muniyappa’s discontent has silenced galore from airing their views publicly. They stated, “There is disappointment and discontent, but it is not being spoken astir publicly.”