Karnataka cabinet: Cong aspirants pile pressure

With the much-awaited expansion of the H D Kumaraswamy ministry in Karnataka expected to take place next week, aspirants from the JDS' coalition partner Congress have started lobbying for ministerial berths.

Amid reports that the state Congress leaders would leave for Delhi in a couple of days to finalise the list, aspirants have even resorted to pressure tactics.

Supporters of Congress MLA from Bhadravathi B K Sangamesh Wednesday demonstrated near former chief minister and Congress legislature party leader Siddaramaiah's residence here, demanding a ministerial berth for their leader.

They urged Siddaramaiah and other party leaders to consider Sangamesh who is the lone party MLA from Shivamogga district that is considered the stronghold of state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa.

According to party sources, several aspirants who have been mounting pressure on the party's state leadership here are also likely to go to Delhi soon to pursue their demand.

This would be the second expansion of the cabinet since the coalition came to power in May in a post-poll tie-up between the Congress and JD(S).

In the earlier exercise on June 6, Kumaraswamy had inducted 25 ministers, taking the ministry's strength to 27.

There are six vacant ministerial positions for the Congress and one for the JD(S).

Under the power-sharing arrangement reached by the two parties, the Congress will have 22 ministers and the JD(S) 12.

The decision to expand the cabinet has come amid speculations that some disgruntled Congress MLAs were being wooed by the BJP, besides reported factionalism within the party.

With a growing number of aspirants and limited ministerial berths in hand, the Congress was preparing a list of MLAs to be appointed as heads to boards and corporations, in an effort to pacify any kind of resentment, party sources said.