Belgum: The wait for ministerial aspirants and those keen to head state-owned boards and corporations could get longer with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah not keen to make new appointments till next year's elections to Lok Sabha.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a source in Siddaramaiah's camp asserted that the leader does not want to rock his own boat by expanding the cabinet or appointing new heads to boards and corporations on the eve of Lok Sabha polls.
“After Santosh Lad's resignation, many leaders particularly from 11 districts which are not represented in the cabinet are enthusiastic that an expansion of the ministry and a revamp of boards and corporations are on the cards. They feel that the CM might yield to pressure from various quarters and expand his ministry or appoint few powerful leaders to boards and corporations in the state,” the source added.
Though the KPCC office has received more than 5,000 applications for a handful of posts of heads of boards and corporations, Siddaramaiah might play safe by asking senior central leaders of the party not to pressurize him to carry out such an exercise as it could trigger dissidence ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
In fact, his camp followers have already indicated to central leaders that divisions within the party could come to the fore in case of an expansion of the ministry before elections, the source added.
