Nominations to boards, corpns after session, says CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Sunday that appointments to boards and corporations would be taken up immediately after the conclusion of the legislature session and the entire process would be completed by the end of August.

Siddaramaiah’s assurance came a day after second rung Congress leaders, at a two-day State-level delegates’ meeting, vociferously demanded that the party leadership should give them their share of power by nominating them to boards and corporations.

A few delegates even said the party may lose power in the State, if the nominations were not done.

‘Not a deliberate act’

Speaking at the conclusion of the meeting on Sunday, Siddaramaiah said the delay in the nominations was not deliberate. The nomination process had not been taken up following a collective decision of the party’s executive committee.

Several party leaders had insisted that the process be taken up after the completion of the Lok Sabha polls, Siddaramaiah said and added that former union minister Janardhan Poojary was one of those who made the suggestion.

He said adequate representation would be given to women and appointment to urban authorities would also be made.

In a way, Siddaramaiah was sending a message that he alone was not responsible for the delay.

The delegates had poured out their ire that the nominations had not been made even 13 months after the party took over the reigns of power in the State.

Siddaramaiah ruled out the possibility of the party losing power mid-way of its tenure.

“The Congress government will complete the remaining four years of its tenure. If not me, someone else will lead the government. But there is no question of losing power mid-way,” Siddaramaiah said.

He said there was talk in some circles that since he (Siddaramaiah) had realised his ambition of becoming chief minister, he had lost interest.

“It is absolutely rubbish. I will lead the party to victory in the next Assembly polls in 2018. Who should get what position can be decided later,” Siddaramaiah said.

The chief minister said the results of the Lok Sabha elections had come as a surprise.

“Except for Hassan and Shimoga, there was positive feedback from all district presidents that we had an edge. But we lost the polls. We would have won more seats if not for the sabotage by some of our leaders and workers,” Siddaramaiah said, but did not name anybody.

He said the defeat of the party’s candidate in Mandya (Ramya) was a clear case of “sabotage”. The party would have emerged victorious in Mysore, Haveri, Koppal and Bidar, if not for anti-party activities.

“In many instances, Congress defeated Congress,” the chief minister said.

He urged KPCC president G Parameshwara to take disciplinary action against those who indulged in anti-party activities.

However, Siddaramaiah did not touch upon the growing demand from a section in the Congress to make Parameshwara the deputy chief minister.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Parameshwara said several complaints about anti-party activities had been received by his office.

“I have referred them to the disciplinary committee. We will take action based on the recommendations of the committee,” he said.