BENGALURU: The Congress leadership's last-minute changes to the Karnataka Cabinet expansion list sparked some resentment within the party on Monday, with several disappointed legislators threatening to resign from their Assembly memberships, supporters staging protests and one party worker allegedly consuming poison in protest.
In a dramatic development ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, the Congress high command reportedly dropped Mankal S. Vaidya from the final list of ministers and instead inducted former minister S.S. Mallikarjun. A senior Lingayat leader from Central Karnataka, Mallikarjun's inclusion is believed to have been part of the party's efforts to strengthen regional and community representation in the Cabinet.
The last-minute reshuffle, however, left several aspirants fuming.
Indi MLA Yashavanth Rayagouda Patil announced that he had prepared his resignation letter and would submit it to the Assembly Speaker after being dropped from the final list despite being allegedly assured of a Cabinet berth until the last moment.
"There is a big conspiracy. My exclusion shows that this is not the time for honest and loyal party workers. Until yesterday, the leadership told me that I was in the list and asked me to be ready for the oath-taking ceremony. At the last minute, my name was removed. What should I tell my supporters?" Patil told reporters.
He claimed that a meeting held on Monday morning resulted in a change in the final list and that senior leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, Siddaramaiah and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, had later informed MLAs from his district that ministers M.B. Patil and Shivanand Patil had been accommodated and that he would be considered at a later stage.
Patil expressed anguish that his constituency had never been represented in the Cabinet since Independence.
"Several meetings were held in Delhi and everything was positive. I cannot remain with those who betrayed me. I have been in active politics for 40 years and have contested eight elections. I built the Congress in my constituency over the last two decades. There is no meaning in continuing under the present leadership," he said.
Patil said he had sought an appointment with the Speaker to submit his resignation and declared that he would walk out of the Vidhana Soudha as a former MLA. His supporters later staged protests condemning the party's decision.
Former minister and Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna also announced that he would resign from the Assembly, alleging that loyal grassroots leaders were being ignored while political families continued to receive preference.
"I will not resign alone. We are a group and we will submit our resignations tomorrow at 10 a.m. I never imagined that I would be betrayed like this. The people of my taluk are deeply disappointed," he said.
Questioning the selection process, Gopalakrishna said children of former chief ministers and senior ministers continued to receive Cabinet opportunities while ordinary party workers were overlooked.
"Some leaders from the same region have already enjoyed ministerial positions for three years. Sons of former chief ministers and ministers get opportunities, but common workers do not. I have never indulged in anti-party activities. Is the party unwilling to allow grassroots leaders to grow?" he asked.
He also announced that he would resign from his position in a state corporation in addition to his Assembly membership.
Senior Congress leaders Hampanagouda Badarli, Ashok Pattan and Raghavendra Hitnal also publicly expressed disappointment over being left out of the expanded ministry.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after a supporter of senior Congress leader 6-time MLA Tanveer Sait allegedly consumed poison in protest against Sait's exclusion from the Cabinet. The supporter was rushed to hospital, where treatment is underway.
The latest communication from the office of the Chief Minister stated that the swearing-in ceremony of the newly inducted Cabinet ministers will be held at 5 p.m. today at the Lok Bhavan premises. Earlier, it was fixed at 4.05 p.m.
Bringing an end to months of speculation and prolonged political suspense, the Congress government on Monday finally expanded the Karnataka Cabinet, with the party high command approving the induction of 20 legislators as ministers.
