BENGALURU: Two ministers from Bengaluru city are likely to be axed during a reshuffle of the ministry after the forthcoming polls to BBMP. Out of 30 ministers, five — home minister K.J. George, food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda, transport minister R. Ramalinga Reddy, information and infrastructure minister R. Roshan Baig — are from Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru. While three are of cabinet rank, the rest are ministers of state.
Sources in Congress told Deccan Chronicle that party legislators had complained about excessive representation to Bengaluru while eight districts-Hassan, Haveri, Dharwad, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Koppal, Bidar and Kodagu have no representation in the ministry. “It is definite that two ministers from Bengaluru will be dropped from the cabinet in the next reshuffle but it will be decided by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in due consultation with the party high command,” sources added.
Sources observed that a number of legislators from north Karnataka have been waiting for the process of reshuffle to commence so that they could impress upon the high command the need for representation of their region.
Several senior legislators are set to visit New Delhi to lobby for a berth in the ministry. They were optimistic that their cry for justice would be heard by the high command and instructions be given to Mr Siddaramaiah to accommodate at least some senior legislators in the cabinet.
Sources said Mr Siddaramaiah and KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar, who would participate in a conclave of Congress Chief Ministers and PCC presidents’ in Delhi on June 9, are likely to discuss issues like a reshuffle of the ministry and appointment of chairpersons to state-owned boards and corporations with party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi.
Mr Siddaramaiah, however, was inclined to reshuffle his ministry after BBMP elections as it would be a litmus test for his government. With both BJP and Janata Dal (S) planning to join hands to win BBMP elections, the Chief Minister seems keen to ensure victory for the Congress. This had made him undertake regular tours of Bengaluru city and to release additional funds towards infrastructure improvement.
