Unhappy Cong MLAs put pressure for ministerial berths in Karnataka

Amid brewing discontent over denial of ministerial berths in the recent cabinet expansion, a section of ruling Congress legislators on Sunday mounted pressure for their inclusion.

The MLAs met Congress general secretary and state in-charge Digvijay Singh, who was in the city ahead of the party’s coordination committee meeting here on Monday, and conveyed their grievances to him.

‘I met Digvijay Singh on Sunday. I told him I’m the senior most MLA. After listening to me patiently, he told me I was a deserving candidate,’ Ranebennur MLA K B Koliwad said.

‘He (Singh) assured me he will do something for me; I told him but for minister’s post,I will not accept anything else. 

I’m sure that before (Lok Sabha) elections, there will be another cabinet expansion and I will be accommodated in that,’ he said.

Shedding his reported reluctance, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on Wednesday inducted ‘tainted’ D K Shivakumar and Roshan Baig into his nearly eight-month old ministry, apparently bowing to Congress high command.

The expansion, the third since Siddaramaiah took over as chief minister on 13 May last year, has caused discontent among several ministerial aspirants, who have openly given vent to their feelings.