Ramalinga Reddy not happy with creation of new portfolio

 Bengaluru district incharge minister Ramalinga Reddy, expressing discontent over the creation of Bengaluru development portfolio, has said that the chief minister himself should have continued to monitor the City’s development.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has created the new portfolio which would have a purview over all the civic agencies, besides town planning. These agencies were coming under the chief minister till October 30. When Siddaramaiah had announced that he would be creating a new portfolio in April this year, Reddy had immediately opposed it saying he did not see any merit in it. The chief minister would be able to take decisions and also release funds for the City’s development, he had argued.

On Saturday, Reddy stood by what he had said earlier. However, he was quick enough to say that the portfolio has been created owning to the “changing political scenario.” Reddy is still continued as the in-charge of Bengaluru.

“As G Parameshwara has been made the Home minister, George had to be accommodated somewhere. He is a senior leader, and giving this portfolio is appropriate. Hopefully constructive work will be done,” Reddy said.

To give an impression that he has nothing against George, Reddy said that George and he were like two faces of the same coin, and added that there were no differences among the five Bengaluru City ministers.

Reacting to BJP leader R Ashok’s recent statement, where he had referred to Congress leaders as “Shakunis,” Reddy countered by calling the BJP leaders - “Uttara Kumars” of Mahabharatha.

Ashok had hit at the Congress for hijacking the Mayoral polls recently. Reddy said that if at all BJP believed such was the case, then why did it ensure that all of its elected representatives, including the MPs, were present during the day of voting.