Cabinet ranks: Govt violating rules, says Bommai

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's announcement that a Congress worker will be given Cabinet rank to head a state-level committee to oversee the implementation of guarantees is in violation of rules, senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said on Wednesday.

Bommai, a former chief minister, pointed out that the number of persons holding Cabinet rank must not exceed 15 per cent of the total strength of the Karnataka Assembly.

Karnataka already has 34 ministers with Cabinet ranks.

Siddaramaiah has five advisors who enjoy Cabinet ranks. He also has two political secretaries holding the status of Cabinet ministers. Senior MLA RV Deshpande, the chairperson of the Administrative Reforms Commission, also has a Cabinet rank.

One more will get added to this list going by the CM's announcement, taking the total to 43 persons with Cabinet ranks. That is 19 per cent.

"There is a standing order in this regard. The decision of the government was unconstitutional and in violation of rules," Bommai said in a statement.

Muslim women

The number of Muslim women benefitting from schemes of PM Modi's government has increased, Bommai said.

"They are the beneficiaries of the schemes like Mudra, Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojana. This is the symbol of change," he said.

"This is known to the women beneficiaries, but it is being hushed," he said, adding that the 'Shukriya Modi Bhaijaan' campaign will be a "big hit".