JD(S) may keep 3 berths vacant

Anticipating trouble within the party after the expansion of the council of ministers scheduled on Wednesday, the JD(S) leadership is understood to have decided to keep three ministerial berths vacant.

The party, which can accommodate only 11 of its MLAs into the ministry, is feeling the heat as the list of aspirants lobbying for ministerial berths has been growing by the day. More than two dozen MLAs are said to be vying for berths.

According to party sources, the party leadership does not want to trigger dissent at this crucial juncture by upsetting the hopefuls. Only about eight MLAs are likely to be sworn in on June 6. The party is likely to fill up the remaining three berths once the dust settles.

The party is said to have resolved to give district-wise representation in the Cabinet. According to the formula, H D Revanna (Hassan), C S Puttaraju (Mandya), G T Devegowda (Mysuru), Bandeppa Kashempur (Bidar), Srinivas Gowda (Kolar), Venkatrao Nadagouda (Raichur), N Mahesh (Chamarajanagar) and Srinivas (Tumakuru) are likely to be inducted into the ministry on Wednesday, the sources said.

As a result, senior leaders like A H Vishwanath, D C Thammanna, Basavaraj Horatti (MLC), Sa Ra Mahesh and MLAs including B Sathyanarayana, Managuli Mallappa Channaveerappa and Nagangouda Kandakur may miss the bus.

Party general secretary B M Farookh, who was on Monday elected to the Upper House, too is unlikely to be inducted into the ministry. The party leadership which was quite keen on making Farookh a minister, decided against it, following opposition within the party.

With one day left for the expansion of the council of ministers, JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda’s Padmanabhanagar residence became the hub of activities on Monday. MLAs and MLCs lobbying for ministerial berths made a beeline to Gowda’s house, in the hope of convincing Gowda to accommodate them.

Gowda’s son Revanna, who was the first to arrive, was closeted with his father for nearly five hours drawing up a list. By late afternoon, the duo drew up a tentative list and sent word to the party's legislators to attend the party legislature meeting late in the evening.

Rahul to meet state leaders today The Congress is likely to finalise the names of its legislators to be inducted in the H D Kumarswamy-headed government in Karnataka on Tuesday, DHNS reports from New Delhi. “Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who will be returning from US tour on Monday night, will hold a meeting with state leaders only on Tuesday and finalise the list,” the party sources said.