Ramachandrappa, Rani Satish, Bhavana on list

Selection of names to head boards, corporations upsets Congress leaders

The much-delayed political nominations to various boards, corporations and Urban Development Authorities (UDAs) has finally begun. The Siddaramaiah government on Monday commenced the nomination process by issuing appointment orders to this effect.

Prominent among the Congress leaders who have been nominated are former minister Rani Satish, Chairman, Hutti Gold Mines Ltd; former legislator Mallajamma, Chairman, Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation; former Bangalore mayors M Ramachandrappa and P R Ramesh as chairman, D Devaraj Urs Development Corporation and Chairman, Karnataka Slum Development Board respectively. Besides, cine actor Bhavana has been nominated as Chairperson Jawahar Bal Bhavan Society.

The nomination process has begun after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G Parameshwara obtained the party high command’s approval for the list of probable names recently in Delhi.

Though there are about 93 posts of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen in the government, the chief minister’s office has, however, cleared about 53 names in the first installment on Monday. Many departments of the government were yet to issue an order to this effect, sources said.

The nominees will have 18 months tenure in the office. While in some GO, the government has specified the term, in some others the same has not been mentioned.

The nomination has triggered dissidence in the State party with number of leaders expressing their displeasure over the choice of names. Even senior ministers R V Deshpande and M H Ambareesh are said to be unhappy with the nominations.

This is the reason why Siddaramaiah has gone slow in making nominations to plum posts like urban development authorities, including Bangalore Development Authority. The government so far has not released the list of nominees because some of them have to be elected after getting nominated.

The State Congress had received close to 10,000 applications from its leaders and workers seeking the posts of chairmen, vice chairmen and members to various boards and corporations and UDAs. Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara had a tough task in sifting the applications and preparing a list.

It is said nomination of members to boards, corporations and UDAs – which is about 800 in number – will be taken up soon.