BANGALORE: The elevation of M.H. Ambareesh, three-time member of the Lok Sabha from Mandya and noted film artiste, as a Union Minister of State may have come a day late but nevertheless it has pleased the dominant Vokkaliga community in Karnataka to which he belongs.

Mr. Ambareesh, who is from Malavalli in Mandya district, is the grandson of late Vidwan T. Chowdiah who played the seven-string violin, and is the first Kannada film artiste and of the film industry here to be made a Union Minister. He now joins the select band of film industry people such as the late Sunil Dutt and Shatrughan Sinha who made it to the Union Ministry.

Karnataka, however, continues to be denied the post of a Cabinet Minister at the Centre with the other three — Oscar Fernandes, M.V. Rajasekharan and K.H. Muniyappa — being Union Ministers of State. Mr. Ambareesh's entry into the Union Ministry is expected to give a boost to the Congress party in Karnataka in general and the Vokkaligas therein in particular. The Vokkaligas in the Congress have received a shoddy treatment for several years now and have even complained to the Congress high command about this. The Vokkaligas have no representation in the Rajya Sabha and in the All-India Congress Committee. This is the case even in the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee where they do not enjoy any important positions. The other dominant community in the State, Veerashaivas (Lingayats), also have a similar complaint although Mr. Rajasekharan was accommodated in the Union Council of Ministers in 2004.

Fillip to campaign

Mr. Ambareesh's elevation is expected to give a boost to the Congress's campaign in the prestigious byelection to the Chamundeshwari Assembly Constituency in Mysore.

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