Rival Congressmen want at least 15 ministers to be dropped from cabinet
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and energy minister D.K. Shivakumar in the assembly on Friday (DC PHOTO)
Bengaluru: Serious differences seem to be rising between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s camp followers and the rival faction about a reshuffle of the cabinet with the former keen to put off the exercise and the latter demanding that at least 15 inefficient ministers be shown the door. Sources in Congress said Mr. Siddaramaiah, who was groomed by stalwarts like the late Chief MinistersRamakrishna Hegde, S. R. Bommai, J. H. Patel and Janata Dal (S) supremo H. D. Deve Gowda, was hosting dinner for ruling party legislators and leaders of respective districts to push his proposal of putting off a reshuffle of the cabinet for at least eight to ten months.
He wants legislators to give at least two years time to his team to perform. In this manner, Mr Siddaramaiah has been trying to win over legislators by offering solutions to their demands,” the sources added. The sources said when legislators sought Mr. Siddaramaiah's opinion on why he chose to allocate major portfolios to his “chosen ones,” he tackled them stating that these portfolios would be given to leaders from other regions after two years. In the interim, he wants to have a mix of leaders from all regions before going to polls.
However, Mr. Siddaramaiah's logic seem to have worked against him as another section of legislators has started lobbying hard to ensure a revamp of the cabinet immediately after the ongoing session of legislature. Sources in this group told Deccan Chronicle that they had prepared a list of 15 ministers who should be dropped.
"The list of 15 names includes housing minister M. H. Ambreesh, horticulture minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa and revenue minister V. Srinivasprasad on the basis of their poor health, home minister K. J. Georoge, wakf and minority welfare minister Qamrul Islam for involvment in controversies, urban development minister Vinaykumar Sorake, fisheries and youth affairs minister Abhaychandra Jain, labour welfare minister Parameshwar Naik, medical education minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil, textile minister Baburao Chinchansur, and women and child welfare minister Umashree on grounds of inefficiency.
Even though agriculture minister Krishna Byregowda, primary and secondary education minister Kimmane Ratnakar, and health minister U. T. Khader are working hard in their respective departments, they are unable to understand their departments which are not only large but also demands that experienced leaders handle them,” the sources added. This groups wants to step up pressure on the party high command to provide a new-look cabinet so that the new faces could tone up the administration and improve the prospects of the party as well.
( Source : n.b. hombal )
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