Cabinet expansion can happen anytime: KPCC chief

The six vacant Cabinet berths under the Congress quota can be filled up any time and “it can happen in hours,” Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said Thursday.

“Cabinet expansion will be discussed by the party’s high command and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy,” Parameshwara, who is also the KPCC president, said after chairing a meeting of Congress’ ministers. “Cabinet expansion is a different process as against appointments to boards and corporations.
It can happen any time.”

The Congress has filled up 16 Cabinet positions out of its quota of 22, where as the JD(S) has filled 11 out of its 12 seats. “We want to fill ours as soon as possible,” he said. Parameshwara, however, said the party wanted to fill up posts at boards and corporations before expanding the Cabinet. “We’ve decided to appoint legislators to some boards and corporations. Ministers and party workers have urged the party to make it soon. The process has started,” he said.

Disgruntled Congress leaders continued to mount pressure on the Congress to induct them into the Cabinet before the budget session. Disgruntled leaders such as
M B Patil, Satish Jarakiholi and Dr Ajay Singh have been holding meetings, with Law Minister Krishna Byre Gowda reportedly reaching out to Patil specifically on Thursday.