Key cabinet-rank appointments: R.V. Deshpande heads administrative reforms, Rayareddy as economic adviser

In a strategic move to address discontent within the ruling Congress party, three senior MLAs, who had been expressing dissatisfaction over the denial of Cabinet berths, have now been granted Cabinet-rank appointments by the State government.

In a series of notifications issued on Friday, the government announced the elevation of former Minister R.V. Deshpande to the position of Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission. Simultaneously, another former Minister and MLA, Basavaraj Rayareddy, were appointed as the Economic Adviser to the Chief Minister, effective immediately.

Additionally, Senior MLA B.R. Patil, representing Aland constituency in Kalaburagi district, has been appointed as an Adviser to the Chief Minister. Notably, Mr. Patil, who entered the Legislative Assembly alongside Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in 1983, holds the distinction of being the only MLA consistently donning the Gandhian cap in the current Assembly.

These appointments are seen as a strategic effort by the State government to assuage the concerns of the senior Congress leaders who were left without Cabinet berths.