The Hindu : Karnataka News : Congress finalises list of new Ministers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 04, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Congress finalises list of new Ministers

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE, DEC. 3. The Congress High Command is stated to have approved the list of party legislators to be accommodated in the coalition Ministry in the State. It is yet another confirmation that the much-delayed expansion of the coalition ministry is round the corner. But whether it will be a partial or a full expansion has not been finalised. There are 22 vacancies in the Ministry.

The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, has said that the names of the legislators would be kept under wraps for a few more days to avoid any last-minute pressure on the High Command. There will, however, be some surprises in the list as in the case of the first expansion of the ministry.

It is being stated that the preference is for a partial expansion (nine ministers from each party) which will give scope for the accommodation of two more from each partner at a later stage.

Sources in the Congress told The Hindu here today that it was for the first time that the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), B. Janardhana Poojary, was involved in the expansion exercise. The Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka affairs, A.K. Antony, was particular that the KPCC president should also be part of the exercise. Following the finalisation of the Congress list, the Chief Minister, who was originally scheduled to return on Saturday, returned to Bangalore late tonight. He has cancelled all his public engagements for three days until Sunday.

Sources in the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) told The Hindu here that the swearing in would be on December 8 or 9.

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