Bengaluru: Cabinet expansion on December 22? It may not happen, say two MLAs

Bengaluru: The announcement by the coalition's co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah that the much- awaited cabinet expansion will happen on December 22 notwithstanding, some Congress MLAs feel it may not happen so early.

Hosakote Congress MLA, M.T.B. Nagaraj and Kampli MLA J.N. Ganesh said the exercise would not happen adding that the announcement of the date was merely an attempt to buy time and more so when there are so many contenders for the cabinet berths.

Mr Nagaraj said Dhanurmasa would be on by then and the Janata Dal (Secular) would not allow the cabinet expansion in a Hindu month which is considered inauspicious by many. This month will end on January 15 and by then every political party would be involved in preparations for the parliamant polls leaving little scope for the cabinet expansion. A Congress leader who concurred with this view, felt that the announcement of the date by co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah was merely intended to ensure that the winter session of the legislature set to begin in Belagavi on December 10, goes off smoothly without any murmurs of dissent from ministerial aspirants who are unable to make it.