BENGALURU: As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government marks year number three in office on Friday, senior leaders in Congress spoke of major changes in the offing, including introduction of new faces in his ministry and appointment of former Union minister Palaniappan Chidambaram as general secretary in-charge of the state in the place of Digvijay Singh.
Though Mr Siddaramaiah reiterated that the much-delayed rejig would be effected end of the month after a 30 minute meeting with Mr Digvijay Singh, top leaders pointed out that changes are likely earlier with the Chief Minister keen to axe some ministers including housing minister M H Ambareesh and revenue minister Srinivas Prasad and induct Speaker of the Assembly Kagodu Thimmappa and former Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar. They are certain to make it this time because they had constantly embarrassed the Chief Minister and the state government during debates in the Assembly.
The leaders said food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundurao too could be dropped but will be drafted for party work in New Delhi.
The party leadership, however, seems keen to allow home minister Dr G Parameshwar to hold the post of KPCC president as well for some more time. Reason: energy minister D K Shivakumar, one of the frontrunners for the key post, had sought time to make his mind on relinquishing his position in the cabinet.
Mr Siddaramaiah is likely to return to Delhi on May 20 to get the go-ahead of party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi for recasting his ministry.
