BENGALURU: As part of his strategy of keeping everyone guessing as well as containing dissident activity, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Saturday asserted that he would soon take a decision on who should make it to fill the lone vacancy in his ministry after consulting central leaders in New Delhi.
Mr Siddaramaiah, who successfully adopted this strategy ahead of legislature sessions to keep all aspirants on leash, has resorted to same tactics again.
He told the media here: “I am certainly in favour of inducting ministers for the entire cabinet, and so the last vacancy will be filled soon. But, I will do it only after due consultations with central leaders of our party.”
Answering a question, Mr Siddaramaiah retorted that there was no proposal to induct former Mandya MP and actress, Ramya. “We have a set of guidelines according to which only an elected MLA can be inducted as minister. So, I do not see any chance of Ms Ramya filling this vacancy as of now,” he added.
The Chief Minister’s move to carryout major changes in the ministry two weeks ago—dropping 14 and inducting 13 new faces—triggered dissident activity with aspirants among senior legislators as well as veterans like V Srinivas Prasad and M H Ambareesh who were axed from the ministry training their guns against Mr Siddaramaiah.
While Mr Ambareesh even quit his membership of the Legislative Assembly, Mr Prasad demanded a change of leadership and sought the help of veterans like former external affairs minister S M Krishna and general secretary B K Hariprasad.
Their number, however, dropped resulting in cancellation of a meeting of like-minded legislators last Sunday to knock on the doors of leaders in Delhi and seek a change of leadership.
Caste survey report in two months
The much-publicised social, economical and caste survey report will be ready within two months, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Replying to Mr Jagadish, a caller from Bagalkote during an interaction on AIR programme on Saturday, he said that the work on preparation of the final report was on. The survey was conducted at a cost of Rs 200 crore with a good intention. "I think no one will oppose the census report."
Ms Kavitha and her husband, two visually impaired from Periyapatna taluk in Mysuru district, requested the Chief Minister to allot them a small house as the present dwelling is dilapidated.
They said their appeal to the local MLA has not yielded results. The CM promised to take up the matter with the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer.
