Karnataka cabinet expansion: CM keeps promise, rewards two loyalists

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word and rewarded two loyalists, who unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha polls in 2014, with berths in the ministry.

Mr Vinay Kulkarni and Mr A Manju, entered the fray as Congress nominees in Dharwad (North) and Hassan parliamentary constituencies respectively when the party found it tough to field formidable candidates in these seats. At that time, the Chief Minister convinced both Mr Kulkarni and Mr Manju to contest without bothering about the outcome. Mr Siddaramaiah reportedly told them "If you win you become Lok Sabha members. If you are defeated, do no worry, we will appoint you ministers". Accordingly, the CM rewarded both with posts of ministers. While Mr Kulkarni lost to state BJP president Pralhad Joshi, Mr Manju was defeated by JD (S) patriarch Mr H D Deve Gowda.

Party sources told DC that Mr Siddaramaiah was determined to appoint Mr Kulkarni and Mr Manju as ministers because of their loyalty to the party. He convinced the party high command to allow him to induct both of them in recognition of their loyalty to the party. Since Mr Kulkarni and Mr Manju were sure of joining the ministry, they maintained a low profile unlike other aspirants who camped in New Delhi for many days to impress the party leadership.

The grooming of Mr Manju in Hassan district, the bastion of Mr Deve Gowda and his kin, could help Mr Siddaramaiah settle scores with the Vokkaliga strongman and members of his family. Kulkarni has emerged as a strong Congress leader in Dharwad district where the BJP has emerged as a force in recent years. He was a students’ union leader in Karnatak University and managed to win from the BJP stronghold.

Born on August 6, 1953 in Gollahalli in Tumakuru district, Dr G. Parameshwar is the son of former MLC and educationist Dr H.M. Gangadaraiah. He entered the Legislative Assembly from Koratagere in 1989 for the first time and became minister in the Veerappa Moily cabinet in 1993. In 1999, he was re-elected from the same constituency and became higher education minister in the S.M. Krishna cabinet. However, he was defeated in the 2013 Assembly elections though he led the Congress party from the front as KPCC president. He was nominated to the Legislative Council on July 1, 2014. He has a doctor of philosophy degree in plant pathology from an Australian university and is joint secretary, Siddaratha Education Society and president, Karnataka Amateur Athletic Association.

A four-time MLA from Hanagal, Manohar Tahsildar functioned as Deputy Speaker in the Assembly when S.M. Krishna was CM. He contested from Hangal constituency for the 8th time and won for a fourth time in 2013. Whenever the cabinet expansion hit the limelight, senior Congress leaders like Basavaraj Rayareddy, Dr Malakareddy and Malikaiah Guttedar figured in the list of prospective candidates but not Mr Tahsildar. The party high command giving the green signal to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to induct the low profile Mr Tahsildar has therefore come as a surprise. He belongs to the backward class Balija (Gangamatasta) community.

Mr A. Manju started his political career in the BJP and became an MLA for the first time from Arkalgud constituency in 1999. Expelled from the BJP after the cross voting controversy in the Rajya Sabha elections, Mr Manju joined the Congress. He was defeated in the 2004 election but elected from Arakalagudu in 2008 and 2013. He contested unsuccessfully from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency in the 2014 elections against H.D. Deve Gowda.

Mr Manju was Syndicate member of Bengaluru University and a senate member of Rajiv Gandhi Health University.

He was also director of State Vokkaligara Sanga for two terms. Inducting him in the state cabinet is part of a political strategy of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to fight his political betenoire Mr Deve Gowda in Hassan district.

A first-time Congress MLA representing Dharwad, Vinay Kulkarni started his political career as a zilla panchayat member. He was defeated in the Hubballi- Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 elections by Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Pralhad Joshi. Mr Kulkarni belongs to the Lingayat Panchamasali community.