Final decision on Cabinet expansion on Aug 26

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the Congress co-ordination committee would decide on the expansion of the State Cabinet on August 26.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Tuesday, the chief minister said that the party high command would take the final decision on the expansion of the Cabinet after the co-ordination committee meeting.
He also expressed confidence that Congress would win bypolls to Bellary Rural, Chikodi-Sadalaga and Shikaripura Assembly seats.

He said that the party workers were actively taking part in the campaign for byelection.
“I do not know on what basis the BJP is claiming that it would win all the three Assembly seats,” Siddaramaiah said.

Allegation rubbished

The chief minister rubbished JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda’s allegation that he was trying to divide the JD(S) by taking some of the legislators to the Congress’ fold.

Asked why the JD(S) MLAs Zameer Ahmed and Cheluvarayaswamy met him recently, he said: “If MLAs meet a chief minister can that be construed as an exercise to split a political party? Their arrival coincided with my departure to the airport. So, I suggested them to travel with me to the airport.

It is a fact that we discussed about the elections. A desperate Deve Gowda has now alleged that the MLAs campaigned for the Congress,” he said.

Replying to a question, Siddaramaiah said that none of the JD(S) legislators had expressed their desire to join the Congress party and the Congress too has not invited anyone.