Bengaluru: When a crisis looms, survival instincts no doubt get stronger and that’s what seems to have virtually forced Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to advance appointments to the state-run boards and corporations by two months.
Soon after reports in this newspaper that several Congress legislators(15-20 of them) had grown tired of waiting and waiting for the promised rewards including board posts and were considering jumping ship (to the saffron camp), Mr Siddaramaiah acted swiftly, appointing 21 senior legislators to the boards and corporations, and according them cabinet rank. Another 70 party workers were given responsibility of various boards and corporations with minister of state rank.
Baburao Chinchansur, is chairman, Karnataka Border Development Authority
The critics who had spoken out against the CM's style of functioning, have been rewarded with plum boards and corporation posts. Senior MLA from Vijayapura district, Shivananda S. Patil who had openly expressed his dissent against the party leadership, has got the prized Karnataka Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
Former minister, Baburao Chinchansur, who has been blowing hot and cold after being dropped from the ministry, was made chairman, Karnataka Border Development Authority, with Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, lending a generous helping hand to further his prospects.
Shivananda S. Patil is head of Karnataka Water Supply and Sewerage Board
The CM's trusted aide, K. Venkatesh got the coveted BDA chairman post while former minister and Congress heavyweight, Malikayya Guttedar has been given charge of Karnataka Housing Board. Ironically some of the ministers may have to play second fiddle to the board chairmen. For instance, Tourism Minister, Priyank Kharge is a minister of state while two-time MLA from Belagavi, Firoz Sait has been appointed Karnataka Tourism Development Board chairman with Cabinet rank. It could also mean that Mr Kharge is in for a promotion to cabinet rank anytime soon.
Belagavi MLA Firoz Sait
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior leader observed that Mr Siddaramaiah had planned to carry out this exercise after the Nanjangud bypoll dates were announced. "The reports about some MLAs planning to cross over to BJP was enough reason to hurriedly make the appointments and keep them happy. Interestingly, one of the board appointees, Mr Chinchansur has sneaked into the list despite being shown the door for 'inefficiency' a couple of months ago," the source quipped.
The big guns who landed plum boards
R. V. Devaraj - Karnataka Slum Development Board
Rajshekhar B. Patil - Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited
N. Nagaraj (MTB Nagaraj) - Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation limited
K. Gopal Poojary - Karnataka Forest Development Corporation Limited
Puttaranag C. Shetty - Karnataka Raod Development Corporation
Rahim Khan - Karnataka Warehouse Corporation
K. Vasant Bangera - Karnatak Small Scale Industries
B. R. Yavagal - Hatti Gold Mines Company
G. S. Patil - KREDL
M.K. Somshekhar - Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation
Hampangouda Badarli - Mysore Sales International Limited(MSIL)
H. R. Alagur Raju - Karnatka Soaps and Detergent Limited
D. Sudhkar - KIONICS
Sharada Mohan Shetty - Coastal Development Board
N. Y. Gopal Krishna - Dr Nanjunadappa Recommen dations Implementation Committee
G. Hampaih Nayak Ballatgi - Tungabhadra Command Area Development Authority(CADA)
DC Impact
Within 24 hours of a Deccan Chronicle report on the rebellion brewing in the Congress’ senior ranks, CM Siddaramaiah moved swiftly, smoothing ruffled feathers by appointing former minister Baburao Chinchansur as chairman, Karnataka Border Development Authority and another ex-minister Malikayya Guttedar as Karnataka Housing Board chairman to nip the revolt in the bud
