Siddaramaiah fights fissures with Cabinet ranks to 3 senior MLAs

Bengaluru: Three senior Karnataka Congress lawmakers who did not make it as ministers were given new positions carrying Cabinet ranks on Friday in what is widely seen as an attempt to douse disgruntlement.

Haliyal MLA RV Deshpande, among the senior-most lawmakers, is now chairperson of the Administrative Reforms Commission.

Yelburga MLA Basavaraj Rayareddi, a former minister and MP, is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's economic advisor.

Aland MLA BR Patil, who has served as deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council, has been appointed as Siddaramaiah's advisor without any specific brief.

The trio, who are staunch backers of Siddaramaiah, will enjoy the status of Cabinet ministers, according to separate notifications on their appointments issued by the protocol wing of the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms.

Except Deshpande, Rayareddi and Patil had publicly expressed their disgruntlement over various issues concerning the functioning of the Congress government. Both of them had written letters to Siddaramaiah, leaving the party and government red-faced. Rayareddi and Patil were critical of ministers in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet.

The three appointments were made at a time when Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar are finalising positions to various boards and corporations where lawmakers who missed the Cabinet bus will be given plum roles. According to sources, some 25 MLAs and five MLCs are due to be appointed at boards and corporations.

Apparently, Deshpande, Rayareddi and Patil had rejected board or corporation appointments given their seniority.

In a tweet, Siddaramaiah congratulated Deshpande, Rayareddi and Patil. "Their vast experience and knowledge will further strengthen our effort to build a strong Karnataka," he said.

Siddaramaiah already has three advisors who enjoy Cabinet ranks. Senior journalist KV Prabhakar is the CM's media advisor, Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna is his legal advisor and poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu is the political advisor.

Siddaramaiah also has two political secretaries - MLCs K Govindaraj and Naseer Ahmed - who have the status of Cabinet ministers.