Differences arise in Congress, JD(S) after Cabinet expansion

Bengaluru: Not long after the much-anticipated development of the State Cabinet on Wednesday, dissidence ejected in both the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress. 

A few senior leaders of the two parties communicated their outrage against their party leaders for “disregarding their status and service”. 

In a few regions, Congress workers organized dissents for denying Cabinet ministry for their leaders. 

Congress pioneers, for example, M.B. Patil, H.K. Patil, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, B.C. Patil, B.K. Sangameshwar, M.T.B. Nagaraj, Satish Jarkiholi, Eshwar Khandre, N.A. Haris, S.R. Patil, and Dinesh Gundu Rao are said to have been frustrated over the way in which the Cabinet development was done by the party. 

Mr. M.B. Patil, former Water Resources Minister who denied to make it to the Cabinet, said he would not take any post offered by the government. 

Addressing the media after the swearing-in function of new Ministers, he stated, “I will approach the former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara to know why I was excluded in the Cabinet.” 

The six-time MLA who initiated the development for partitioned religion tag for Lingayat community, stated, “My dignity is harmed by this decision. I would prefer not to take up any post offered by the party from now on. I will proceed as a MLA.” 

Mr. B.C. Patil, three-time MLA from Hirekerur, likewise impacted State and central party leaders of the Congress for denying him a Cabinet berth. “MLAs who enjoyed coercion politics and those with money power have been given Cabinet berth,” he said. The Congress has closed the entryway for sincere and hard working party leaders, he charged. 

Mr. Nagaraj, MLA for Hoskote, and Mr. Sangameshwar, MLA for Bhadravati, too criticized party leaders. Mr. Nagaraj, one of the wealthiest MLAs of the party, is said to have lashed out at Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had supposedly promised him a Cabinet berth.