The Hindu : Karnataka News : Ministry expansion only after Deepavali

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 09, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Ministry expansion only after Deepavali

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE, NOV. 8. The expansion of the coalition Ministry is likely to be taken up only after Deepavali. Along with it, the portfolios of some of the 10 Ministers may be changed.

The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, is now not under pressure owing to the understanding with the Janata Dal (S). The recent meeting of senior members of the Janata Dal (S) caused some problems, but party leaders have apparently exhibited control over them.

The expansion of the Ministry is expected to give time to the Chief Minister to focus on development activities. Both Mr. Dharam Singh and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda participated in public functions in Hassan district on Sunday, and the latter used the occasion to declare support to the Government.

`An overhaul'

Sources in the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress told The Hindu here today that the Ministry would undergo "an overhaul" although the Congress was unlikely to yield to the demand of its coalition partner for distribution of portfolios on the lines of the Maharashtra pattern.

Incidentally, even in Maharashtra, the formula is now different compared with the one adopted in 1999, as the Nationalist Congress Party won a few seats more than the Congress in the recent elections. The Janata Dal (S) in the State is, however, pressing for the implementation of the Maharashtra formula of 1999.

Discussions

It is said the expansion will be taken up on November 18. The first round of discussions between the Chief Minister and Mr. Deve Gowda is scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday. Later, Mr. Dharam Singh will call on the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, to seek her concurrence for the expansion. Thereafter, Mr. Dharam Singh and Mr. Deve Gowda are expected to meet again.

The relationship between the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), which hit a low a week before the Lok Sabha byelection from Bidar, has now improved after both sides agreed to be accommodative on the question of Ministry expansion.

Mr. Dharam Singh and Mr. Deve Gowda spent nearly six hours together in Hassan district on Sunday and reportedly discussed the Ministry expansion.

Sources in the Janata Dal (S) said Mr. Deve Gowda would demand the Home portfolio for the Janata Dal (S) although the Congress was unlikely to give in.

Transport portfolio

M. Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to be relieved of the Transport portfolio, and the Congress, in turn, is likely to demand the Energy portfolio now vested with the Public Works Minister, H.D. Revanna.

The Janata Dal (S) is, once again, preparing a list of the legislators to be accommodated in the Ministry, and some senior leaders are said to have prepared a list of 17 names. The top leaders will reduce the list to 11. There are reports that the Chief Minister will opt for a "partial expansion" by inducting 16 Ministers, eight from both the coalition partners.

The names short-listed by the Janata Dal (S) leaders include Vaijnath Patil, B.R. Patil, Mohammed Ansari, Amare Gowda Bayyapure, Mahima Patel, Basavaraj Horatti, Alangur Srinivas, C. Channigappa , G. Sathyanarayan, Cheluvarayaswamy, Vijayalakshmi Bandisiddegowda, Mahadev Prasad, Venkatesh, H.C. Mahadevappa, D.T. Jayakumar, H.Y. Meti, Kumaraswamy, Satish Jharkiholi and Parimala Nagappa. It is said that at least five Vokkaligas and four Veerashaivas will find berths in the Ministry.

The Janata Dal (S) has reportedly changed its stand over the inclusion of some "tainted persons" (former Ministers against whom there were charges) by the Congress. Initially, the Janata Dal (S) was against the inclusion of D.K. Shivakumar, R.V. Deshpande, R. Roshan Baig and A. Krishnappa.

Change in stand

This condition has now been diluted, though Mr. Shivakumar continues to be in the "blacklist" of the Janata Dal (S). Sources in the Janata Dal (S) said the Chief Minister had agreed to keep Mr. Shivakumar out of the Ministry.

Meanwhile, aspirants for ministerial berths from the Congress are meeting in groups in an effort to pressure Mr. Dharam Singh. Most of the Congress "probables" are former Ministers.

Among those certain to make it to the Ministry are H.K. Patil, Mr. Deshpande and B.K. Chandrashekar.

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