Karnataka: Congress looks to placate unhappy MLAs, says cabinet expansion on December 22

 Seeking to contain simmering discontent within the party over cabinet expansion, the Congress said Tuesday the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition ministry would be expanded on December 22 as announced.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) met here at Suvarna Vidhan Soudha here, where the winter session of the state legislature is underway, amid discontent on a host of issues including the much awaited cabinet expansion.
Party sources said during the meeting several legislators raised their concerns about development taking a backseat under the coalition government, and asked the party leadership to discuss it with the chief minister at the Congress-JDS coalition coordination committee meeting.Legislators alleged neglect of north Karnataka in developmental works and lack of proper representation in the cabinet, pointing out that the Legislative Council Chairmanship was denied to the region recently.

Congress' S R Patil and JD(S)' Basawaraj Horatti from north Karnataka were seen as contenders for the post, but at the last minute Prathap Chandra Shetty was chosen.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, CLP leader Siddaramaiah said "we have informed the MLAs that the cabinet expansion will take place on December 22 as scheduled." "Some MLAs have said preference should be given to north Karnataka during the cabinet expansion andwhile making appointments to boards and corporations," he said.

Asked whether it would be expansion or reshuffle, he said "both may happen...what you want? Whatever our MLAs feel that will happen."State Congress leaders, including Siddarmaiah and Pradesh Congress Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, are scheduled to travel to Delhi on December 20 to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discuss the cabinet expansion issue.

Rao said "it may be cabinet expansion or reshuffle, both may happen.How it will happen I cannot say now." He said the Congress President has called a meeting on December 20. "After discussing with him, we will take a final decision. Both options are open...both may happen." According to the pact reached between the two partners at the time of formation of the coalition government in May, there are now six vacant ministerial positions left for the Congress and two for the JD(S).

This will be the second expansion of the Kumaraswamy's ministry, who currently heads the 26-member cabinet.Congress sources said, along with cabinet expansion, the party is also likely to take a call on filling up of MLAs as heads to boards and corporations and their appointment as parliamentary secretaries to ministers on December 22.MLAs have raised some issues relating to their constituencies, Siddaramaiah said.

Siddaramaiah said they have asked him and the deputy chief minister G Parameshwara to discuss the issue with the chief minister at the coordination committee, as also regarding completion of stalled development projects.
About many legislators skipping the CLP meeting, Siddaramaiah said about 100 of them (both MLAs and MLCs) were present, and "there will never be 100 per cent attendance." The meeting also discussed issues related to alleged discrimination faced by party MLAs under the coalition government as also the style of functioning of a few JD(S) ministers, including Kumaraswamy's brother and PWD Minister H D Revanna.

To sort out the issues, it was earlier planned to invite the chief minister for this meeting.However, Siddarmaiah had Monday clarified that Kumaraswamy was not invited for the meeting and a joint legislature party meet (Congress and JDS) will be convened at the earliest.According to sources, several MLAs from North Karnataka took strong exception about lesser representation to legislators from the region in the cabinet.