The much awaited Cabinet expansion is over, but lobbying is not. Days after being sworn in, the newly inducted Ministers are trying hard through their leaders to get plum portfolios. This means those holding more than one portfolio may have to give up the additional ones.
Sources in the Congress said that a final decision on portfolio allocation would be taken in consultation with AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K.C. Venugopal and Congress Legislative Party leader Siddaramaiah. “Through their respective leaders, who have earlier lobbied hard for them to be inducted into the Cabinet, the newly sworn in Ministers are now lobbying for plum portfolios,” sources said.
Multiple portfolios
More than half a dozen Congress Ministers are currently holding more than one portfolio. This includes K.J. George (Major and Medium Industries, IT and BT, Science and Technology); R.V. Deshpande (Revenue, excluding Muzrai, and Skill Development); G. Parameshwara (Home and Bengaluru Development besides being Deputy Chief Minister); D.K. Shivakumar (Water Resources and Medical Education); B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan (Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Minority Welfare and Wakf); Jaimala (Women and Child Welfare, Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, Kannada and Culture); Krishna Byre Gowda (Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj), and Rajshekar Patil (Muzrai, and Mines and Geology).
“The issue now in the Congress is who has to let go of what. In fact, barring a few, a majority of the incumbent Ministers are also lobbying to keep the multiple portfolios with them. Some are yet to decide on what they want to retain. Ultimately, the leadership will decide who will get what when the portfolios are reallocated,” sources said.