The Hindu : Karnataka News : Talks on Ministry expansion likely today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 15, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Talks on Ministry expansion likely today

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, NOV. 14. The crucial talks between the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, and the Janata Dal (Secular) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, on the expansion of the State Ministry are expected to take place here on Monday.

The Chief Minister set the date for the meeting while speaking to presspersons in Kolar today.

However, he said that he had to consult the AICC leaders before finalising the names of Congress nominees. He would be able to leave for New Delhi only after November 17 on which date the Conference of Chief Ministers of the Southern States and Maharashtra on the mid-term appraisal of the Tenth Five-Year Plan will be held there.

According to sources, the expansion will be a limited one and the Ministry will continue to be without its full complement of 34 members for some more months.

The KPCC has reported a lukewarm response from its district and block level units to the directive to forward the names of deserving party members who can be appointed as chairmen or members of State-level boards and corporations or the various official committees at the district and taluk levels.

The KPCC president, B. Janardhana Poojary, had pulled up the district and block presidents for not responding to his letter in that regard sent on November 5. He told them that that their inaction was harming the interests of loyal party workers. Mr. Poojary had directed the party units to forward the names within three days.

Mr. Poojary's letter is of significance as the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) leaders will be discussing the issue of appointment of chairmen and members of boards and corporations too along with the expansion of the Ministry.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka