Want a Cabinet berth? Win more ZPs for Congress!

Bengaluru: Congress legislators have to sweat it out in the ZP,TP polls, if they want to stake claim to berths in the council of ministers. There is an air of uncertainty over the dates for the polls following a high court ruling on the reservation matrix.

 

Sources close to CM told DC that the names of only those legislators, who ensure the victory of the party in the maximum number of seats in their districts, would be considered at the time of the next Cabinet reshuffle. “Yes, it is a yardstick which may be fixed by Mr Siddaramaiah for his party MLAs and MLCs to ensure that Congress bags a majority of ZPs in the coming polls,” sources noted.

 

The CM knows well that ministerial aspirants may try to spoil the chances of victory in their constituencies to indirectly vent out their anger over delay in Cabinet reshuffle. For Congress, ZP/TP polls are considered as a mini battle before 2018 Assembly polls. 

 

Since May 2013, no major Cabinet reshuffle has happened, except two minor reshuffles-one to accommodate Mr D.K. Shivakumar and Mr Roshan Baig, and another to induct KPCC President Dr G Parameshwar. Naturally, this has caused heartburn among legislators who were waiting for their turn to join the Cabinet. 

 

Having realised that a immediate reshuffle would be like stirring a hornet’s nest, Mr Siddaramaiah is reportedly not ready to take on the possible rebellion within the party at this juncture. Taking up the expansion/reshuffle after the budget session will provide ample time for the CM to pacify those who cannot make it to the Cabinet. Besides, fixing responsibility on legislators in the ZP/TP polls to ensure the victory of party candidates will make them work hard.