Bengaluru: Ministerial aspirants have to wait for some more time to join the Cabinet as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is learnt to have decided not to induct anyone at least till the by-polls to both Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly seats are completed.
Sources close to the CM told Deccan Chronicle that Mr Siddaramaiah was yet to emerge from the shock over the sudden demise of co-operation and sugar minister H.S. Mahadev Prasad, a strong Lingayat face in both Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts. The immediate priority before the CM was to win both seats not only to resurrect the party's image but also his own image as both have been dented due to recent happenings.
The ruling party's image had hit the rock bottom after Excise Minister H.Y. Meti allegedly got involved in a sex scam. Just when the CM was about to free himself from that shock, the sudden death of Mr Mahadev Prasad has given him a big jolt as the latter was one of his close aides in Mysuru district.
Sources said the induction of two legislators into the Cabinet was like stirring a hornest's nest with a large number of aspirants hurrying to get into the Cabinet as they were not sure of the Congress Party coming back to power after the 2018 Assembly polls.
With hardly 13-14 months left for the Assembly polls, every ruling party legislator wants to join the Council of ministers. But the CM is not ready to start this exercise until by-polls are held to the two seats in order to keep the flock together.
The Congress party is deeply worried about the selection of candidate for Nanjangud seat as most of the probables are not ready to fight against former revenue minister, Mr V Srinivas Prasad, a veteran Dalit leader who has a strong hold on the constituency.
Already, senior legislators are lobbying through their supporters to impress upon the CM the need to make their leaders ministers. A few among the strong contenders for the ministers’ posts include Mr H.M. Revanna and Mr S.R. Patil.
While Mr Revanna had been a confident of Mr Siddaramaiah and belongs to the Kuruba community, Mr Patil has maintained a clean image in Bagalkot district. But the party high command is learnt to have instructed state leaders to first concentrate on winning the by-polls and later think about filling up the two vacancies in the council of ministers.
The sources said the party was yet to consult family members of Mr Mahadev Prasad to know whether they were interested in contesting the coming by-poll to Gundlupet Assembly constituency since they were busy in the post-funeral rites and rituals.
There were indications of senior party leaders approaching the wife or son of Mr Mahadev Prasad to become the Congress candidate in the by-election as it would be easy for them to retain the seat due to the prevalent sympathy wave.
"The CM may start the process of filling the two vacancies only after the by-elections", sources added.
