CM may drop 'non-performers', induct youngsters during rejig

It is not going to be an easy task for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when he goes for a rejig of council of ministers. While the muhurat for the reshuffle is yet to be finalised, many senior ministers have already begun lobbying to somehow retain their position. Political circles are abuzz with speculation on the ministers who are going to be axed and those who are going to make it to the ministry. But neither Siddaramaiah nor State Congress chief G Parameshwara has dropped any hints as to who would be shown the door. However, Siddaramaiah on Wednesday ruled out seeking resignation of all the ministers at Wednesday’s council of ministers meeting which he has convened. He insisted that the meeting would focus only on policy matters. "There is no Kamaraj or Anna Dorai plan to take mass resignation of ministers,” he told reporters on Tuesday. Ministerial aspirants are many and incumbents are in no mood to step down to make way for others. All the 33 berths are full. The chief minister while picking his team has considered various factors including his likings, caste and regional representation. Going by the reports, Siddaramaiah is not too keen on continuing Labour Minister B T Parameshwar Naik and Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi. Both belong to the Scheduled Castes. But it would be difficult to remove both of them at once because of caste considerations. It is said that senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge wants the newly elected MLC R B Thimmapur to be made a minister. But that would be difficult because Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya as well as Thimmapur belong to the SC (left). Anjaneya is close to another senior leader Oscar Fernandes. The list of 'non-performer’ ministers who may be shown the door include Qamarul Islam, Baburao Chinchansur and Kimmane Ratnakar, it is said. But even senior ministers H K Patil, R V Deshpande, S R Patil and Roshan Baig are on tenterhooks and were in Delhi to convince party leaders as to why there should be no large-scale changes. RD&PR department headed by H K Patil has witnessed major financial irregularities, while Ratnakar had to face tough time due to PU chemistry question paper leak. It is said that Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa and senior legislator K R Ramesh Kumar, who have been nurturing the hope of becoming ministers, may meet their goal. It is also said that Siddaramaiah has sought the high command’s approval for roping in some senior ministers for party work and induct youngsters in the council of ministers. Among the youngsters, the names of newly elected MLC Rizwan Arshad and MLAs Dr K Sudhakar, Priya Krishna and Priyank Kharge are doing the rounds. The reason for convening the council of ministers meeting (wherein those with minister-of-state rank also attend) on Wednesday instead of the state Cabinet (where only Cabinet ministers attend) is to ensure participation of all ministers. Six subjects including supplying fortified rice to schoolchildren under the mid-day meal scheme are on the agenda. Siddaramaiah’s weekend visit to Delhi to meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stays, according to the sources in the Chief Minister’s Office. - DHNS