Siddaramaiah keeps self, close aides happy
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday allocated portfolios to his new 28-member ministry, keeping key posts such as finance, energy, industries, IT and Bengaluru city with himself.
He will also be in charge of other key departments - mines and geology, DPAR, intelligence wing, and science and technology - for which ministers are yet to be appointed.The portfolio allocation, too, seems to have not gone down well with seniors in the Congress party who are already angry that they had not been included in the cabinet.
A highly placed source in the KPCC said, “The allocation of portfolios to his staunch supporters will likely widen the rift between ‘outsiders’ and ‘loyalists’ in the Congress, which is already facing a problem of plenty.”
The allotment of portfolios to his supporters is a clear indication that Siddaramaiah wants to have a final say in almost every crucial department, he said.
“This exercise also proved that he does not trust anyone other than his own supporters. It is clear from the fact that he has allotted important portfolios like infrastructure development to his supporter and mining baron Santosh Lad, while giving away a minor portfolio, like food and civil supplies to four-time legislator Dinesh Gundu Rao.
The all-important portfolio, excise, has gone to his staunch supporter and two-time legislator Satish Jarkiholi, while six-time legislator T.B. Jayachandra has been given law and parliamentary affairs. Ironically, Mr Jayachandra worked closely with Siddaramaih as his deputy over the last four years,” the source said.
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