The Hindu : Karnataka / Raichur News : Two MLAs from Raichur, one from Koppal likely to be Ministers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 01, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Raichur

Two MLAs from Raichur, one from Koppal likely to be Ministers

By Our Staff Correspondent

RAICHUR, MAY 31. Raichur district is expected to get two berths and Koppal district one in the N. Dharam Singh Council of Ministers in the State to be formed shortly in the State. Legislators from these districts, particularly those from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), are making efforts to get ministerial berths. It is likely that two legislators from Raichur district — one each from the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) — and another legislator from the Congress from Koppal district may be included in the Ministry.

Of the six Assembly seats in Raichur district, the Congress won two seats and the Janata Dal(S) three seats. Only the Raichur seat went to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The former Chairman of the Hyderabad-Karnataka Development Board, N.S. Bose Raju, won from the Manvi Assembly segment for the second term and the former MLA, Hampangouda Badarli, who left the All India Progressive Janata Dal and fought the elections on the Congress ticket, won from the Sindhanoor Assembly segment.

Whereas, the former Minister, Muniyappa Muddappa, the former MLC, Hanumanthappa Alkod, and the former MLA, Amaregouda Bayyapur of the Janata Dal(S) won the Kalmala, Lingsugur and Deodurga Assembly seats, respectively.

Interestingly, most of the legislators from the district have been lobbying for berths in the Ministry. However, political observers say that the chances of getting berths in the Ministry for Mr. Badarli, Mr. Alkod and Mr. Bayyapur are remote.

However, Mr. Raju and Mr. Muddappa, according to observers, have bright chances to become Ministers as both have political clout within their parties.

Mr. Raju, who is a close aide of the Chief Minister, is not a serious contender for a Ministerial berth. However, sources said that the Chief Minister had expressed the desire to induct Mr. Raju into the Ministry to some of his senior party legislators.

When Mr. Raju won the last time, he was made the Chairman of the Hyderabad Karnataka Development Board at the behest of Mr. Dharam Singh and the former Home Minister, M. Mallikarjun Kharge. The sources said that even Mr. Kharge had expressed his support to Mr. Raju getting a berth in the Dharam Singh Ministry.

Mr. Raju said he was ready to serve as a Minister under the leadership of Mr. Dharam Singh if the party chose to induct him as a Minister.

Mr. Badarli, who joined the Congress recently at the behest of the former Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, is not a serious contender for a Ministerial post, according to the sources.

Mr. Muddappa, who won from the Kalmala Assembly segment for second time, enjoys a good relationship with the former Prime Minister and the Janata Dal(S) President, H.D. Deve Gowda, and the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah. He strengthened the party in the district. It is being said that he is lobbying for a Cabinet post in the Ministry in view of his seniority. Even the first-time legislator, Mr. Alkod, is also lobbying for a ministerial berth,

In Koppal district, the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) have together won three of the five Assembly seats.

The former Minister, Basawaraj Rayareddy, who joined the Congress recently, has won from Yelburga, while Basawaraj Hitnal, who joined Congress after the Janata Dal(S) denied him the party ticket, has won the Koppal seat.

However, Mr. Rayareddy is a serious contender for a Ministerial berth. The talk in the party circles is that he may be inducted into the Ministry considering his seniority and also the caste factor.

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