No disgruntlement in Cong post cabinet expansion: KPCC chief

Team Udayavani, Jun 19, 2019, 12:51 PM IST

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Bengaluru: Ruling out discontent in the Congress after the recent cabinet expansion, the party state unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao Tuesday said loyalty would be the main criterion in the ministry reshuffle that is on the cards.

Rao said no one had expressed disgruntlement after the cabinet was expanded last week with the induction of two Independent MLAs and added that the party would not accept ‘blackmailing’ by anyone to get a ministerial berth.

He also said that he has already sought action from the high command against senior party legislator Roshan Baigfor his outburst against the state leadership.

Baig’s alleged links with IMA jewels, allegedly involved in a financial fraud, duping thousands of investors, would be brought to the notice of central leadership, Rao told reporters here.

“Who has expressed disgruntlement? No one has done so.

We have already said- we have done cabinet expansion, when the reshuffle happens,those who are loyal to the Congress will get an opportunity in the days to come,” Rao said.

He said “there should be loyalty towards the party and unnecessarily confusion should not be created about the government and no one should indulge in blackmailing. Such things cannot be accepted by the party.”

After the ministry expansion, Rao had said that the process of reshuffle wouldbegin in about six to eight months, during which time those who had not got the opportunity, including several seniors, would be taken into confidence.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had expanded hiscabinet on June 14 by inducting two Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh into the ministry in an apparent move to give stabilityto his 13-month old wobbly government.

The two were inducted overlooking the claims of several senior leaders, particularly in the Congress, who are sulking ever since they failed to make it to the ministry earlier.

Post the cabinet expansion, disgruntlement has been simmering within the Congress, with several legislators holding secret meetings, party sources said.

Hitting out at the party leadership, three time Congress legislator from Hirekeru B C Patil recently termed as ‘most unfortunate’, the move to give Ministry to independents by sidelining party loyals and said he was talking to other MLAs and friends on the future move.

He had also said action had been sought against Baig, as he had accused the state leadership of selling minister’s posts and had spoken ill of Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, Rao said all this had shared with the high command.

As Baig is an AICC member and senior leader, action has to be taken against him by the high command, he said.

On his alleged association with IMA Jewels, which is allegedly involved in a ponzi scheme fraud, he said he had received several petitions which would be forwarded to the high command.

Hitting out at Congress leaders for the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, Baig had recently held Siddaramaiah’s “arrogance” and Rao’s “immaturity” responsible for the “flop show”.

He had also called Venugopal a “buffoon.”

KPCC had issued a show cause notice to Baig for his conduct, to which he has not responsed, according to sources.
Against the backdrop of the alleged financial fraud involving IMA jewels, Revenue minister R V Deshpande Monday said Baig had introduced the firm’s owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan to him about two months ago, but denied doing any undue favour.

Reacting to this, Rao said “Deshpande (Revenue Minister R V Deshpande) is a former KPCC President; he is a senior Congress leader holding high position.

His statement has to be considered seriously, as this issue has been given to SIT, all these things will be inquired.