Bangalore: Will Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dig his heels in and put off an expansion of his cabinet or give in to pressure from leaders in New Delhi and induct new faces into his ministry?
For the first time in seven months, Siddaramaiah has had to deal with pressure from the high command and counter-pressure from members of his kitchen cabinet on the issue of expansion of his ministry.
At best, he could buy time till January 15 citing the inauspicious month preceding Sankranti as none of the aspirants would be keen to take oath during the unfavourable month.
Sources close to the Chief Minister said the leader almost blinked after he came under pressure from the high command to swear in new ministers, but members of his kitchen cabinet persuaded him not to do so.
They gave him two choices: either convince central leaders on the likely political fallout of inducting former ministers D.K. Shivakumar and R. Roshan Baig or induct five ministers and appoint heads to all state-owned boards and corporations at one go.
In case he choses the first option, the party and the government would invite the wrath of organizations such as Samaj Parivarthana Samudaya, and social activists ahead of next year's elections to Lok Sabha.
"The entire country is against corruption. The parliament has just passed the Lokpal Bill. At this juncture, if the Chief Minister expands his cabinet, it will affect the prospects of the party," the sources added.
The second option would be to invite KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar, Shivakumar and Roshan Baig to join his ministry, but offer plum portfolios rather than appoint Dr. Parameshwar as the deputy chief minister.
"When S.M. Krishna was the Chief Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge was first given the home portfolio and subsequently an additional portfolio of minor irrigation.
Siddaramaiah wants to follow the same formula. In the event of a political crisis, Dr Parameshwar could be elevated to the DCM's post to checkmate Kharge's plans of returning to state politics," the sources added.
