Cabinet expansion unlikely before budget session

Induction of Congress legislators into H D Kumaraswamy ministry is likely to be delayed as the Congress wants the expansion of Cabinet and appointment of heads of boards and corporations to happen together.

As part of its efforts to quell dissidence in the party, the Congress wants all its leaders who have raised the banner of rebellion to be accommodated either in the Cabinet or as heads of boards and corporations, a senior Congress leader said here.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal has reportedly told disgruntled leaders that their concerns would be addressed and the party will try to accommodate them in available posts.

As the number of disgruntled leaders is huge, the Congress is of the view that unless it succeeds in accommodating most of them in different posts, the sulking seniors may throw a spanner in the party’s scheme of things for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress, which has kept six Cabinet berths under its quota vacant, is yet to negotiate with its partner JD(S) on sharing of boards and corporations. Both the parties have decided that out of 98 boards and corporations, the JD(S) will get 1/3 while Congress will get the rest. However, it has not been decided which boards or corporations should go to whom, said a senior leader.

Since the chief minister is busy holding pre-budget meetings and other senior leaders are engaged in preparing common minimum programme, the discussion on sharing of boards and corporations is likely to be held after budget session. The budget session is likely to be held in early July. The Congress is also mulling over filling all the six berths at one go instead of keeping some vacant, he said.

Though the Cabinet expansion is certain, the Congress leaders are yet to decide who should be made ministers. Once sharing of boards and corporations is over, then the party leaders will decide on who should be accommodated in the Cabinet and boards and corporations, he said.

When Kumaraswamy met Congress president Rahul Gandhi early this week to discuss the state’s political developments, the Congress chief reportedly said that he may give green signal to accommodate some legislators in the Cabinet, in two weeks.

However, since the party has to do a lot of exercise on this, ministry expansion and appointment of heads of boards and corporation may take place only after budget session, said the leader.

The Congress is also planning to accommodate some of the prominent disgruntled leaders by making them KPCC working presidents or All India Congress Committee secretaries, said the leader.