Bengaluru: Speculation is rife within the ruling Congress about urban development minister R Roshan Baig’s efforts to secure the key portfolio of home after a picture of him seeking the blessings of Sri Bharati Teertha swamiji of Sringeri Sharada Peetha went viral on social media sites.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior Congress leader observed that Mr Baig evidently commenced visits to various Maths and meeting with seers at a time when the coastal region was simmering with communal discord. "It looks like Mr Baig who was minister of state for home under late Chief Minister, J. H. Patel, is keen to regain the home portfolio which has fallen vacant following a directive from central leaders that KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar should quit as minister.”
The leader observed that as Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, already indicated that he was inclined to fill vacant cabinet berths rather than going for an full-fledged cabinet reshuffle by dropping nearly dozen ministers ahead of next year’s Assembly polls as speculated in a section of the media last month. "Apart from this, there was another speculation that names of many senior leaders like R. V. Deshpande, D. K. Shivakumar, R. Ramalinga Reddy, K. Ramesh Kumar and T. B. Jayachandra were doing the rounds for the vacant portfolio. But, it was reliably learnt that most of them showed their disinclination to take up this job ahead of 2018 Assembly polls. However, it was after an Iftar party hosted by Mr Roshan Baig, attended by Mr Siddaramaiah, speculation about a leader from a minority community should be given this high profile portfolio, as at that time country-wide news reports about cow vigilantes attacking Muslim boys and adults over consumption of beef.
Thus, Mr Baig's name came into the picture as the potential home minister. But, these rumours did not gather enough steam. It is only after Mr Baig started visiting high profile Maths like the one in Sringeri, they gained currency. It also looks like Mr Baig is doing his home work to get the coveted portfolio during next expansion of the cabinet, “ the leader added.
