KA-CONGRESS

No disgruntlement in Cong post cabinet expansion; KPCC chief
Bengaluru, June 18 (PTI): 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." PTI KSU RA APR
APR APR

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from a PTI feed.)