Portfolio Allocation Still In Suspense In Karnataka

New Delhi: A week after the cabinet expansion in Karnataka that saw 19 more ministers being inducted into the DK Shivakumar government, the suspense over the Portfolio allocation continued. Chief Minister rushed to Delhi on Sunday and met the High command leaders over Portfolio allocation and returned to Bengalore on Yesterday.

The Chief Minister got a nod for the minor cabinet rejig to placate the disgruntled senior MLAs. But now, the Chief Minister seems to have put off the cabinet rejig by a fortnight and prioritised allocation of the Portfolios to the new inductees.

With only two days left for the Monsoon Session of the Karnataka legislature (begins on 13th August), the ruling party is also bracing to tackle the Opposition parties in both the houses. While the upper house is set to elect its chairman snd deputy chairman,  the Assembly is expected to witness the BJP-JDS launch a concerted effort to corner the government over the Bidadi township project, NICE road project, Cauvery issue. drought, among others.

Chief Minister Shivakumar, while speaking to reporters in Delhi, said: We have to induct a woman Minister.  But there is no urgency. Also, the delay in Portfolio allocation will not affect the conduct of the session,  as I will give all the replies in the House".

It looks to be very bad political management from the Congress government in the state and equally bad by its high command. A day after the cabinet expansion,  the CM deployed 30 ministers to monitor the drought situation and submit a report to deputy chief minister G Parameshwara, who is also the revenue minister. On Monday, the CM said, " Portfolios will be allocated by evening.”

With the CM waiting for a nod from the high command on Portfolio allocation, while the senior ministers have been lobbying for plum Portfolios.