Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is said to be considering appointing MLAs and MLCs to be chairperson of boards and corporations.
Published Oct 26, 2023 | 10:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 26, 2023 | 10:00 AM
KPCC president DK Shivakumar assures of chairing a party meeting to finalise the names for boards and corporations post 25 October. (Supplied)
In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha and Karnataka local body elections, the state unit of the Congress is likely to undergo a strategic reshuffle within its cadre by the end of December 2023.
Party sources told South First that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was contemplating the appointment of 25-30 MLAs and MLCs to key positions in various boards and corporations.
This move, according to party insiders, was aimed at placating dissent within the ranks and ensuring a cohesive front ahead of the elections.
While party workers are actively lobbying for chairperson posts, the chief minister appears inclined to entrust these responsibilities to elected representatives.
The party, led by Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar, is poised for a crucial meeting to finalise these appointments, with a commitment to decentralising power.
Over five months after coming to power, the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government is yet to appoint heads of the various boards and corporations. The Karnataka Congress is also yet to choose working presidents after incumbents have been accommodated as ministers in the Cabinet.
The party has received several applications from its workers to finish the process at the earliest.
Currently, there are 135 Congress MLAs and 29 MLCs in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council, respectively.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior Congress leader and office-bearer told South First: “These appointments will play a key role in cooling off dissent. The chief minister has already discussed this, but expressed honouring chairmanship of boards and corporations only to MLAs and MLCs.”
The Congress leader added: “The chief minister is planning to entrust the responsibility of boards and corporations to around 25-30 legislators instead of party workers. However, in exceptional cases, the party is likely to entrust a few boards and corporations to party-workers.”
He further said: “The leadership does not want to create rifts within the party while making these appointments. Hence, to avoid dissent and other issues, the leadership has decided to give chairmanships of most of the boards and corporations to legislators.”
He continued: “With regard to the working president, there is not much development. The party has completely halted the process of appointing a new working president due to the upcoming Assembly elections in five states. These appointments are likely to be carried out only after the Assembly polls.”
On who was in the race for the working president’s post, he said: “Some leaders, including Cabinet ministers, have proposed a few names. But it is not final. The core committee will chair a meeting and consider all the factors — including caste — while finalising the candidates.”
He added: “Senior ministers Satish Jarkiholi, KH Muniyappa, Dr JC Mahadevappa, and K Rajanna are pushing for the pending appointments within the party. The party was also upset with them for taking decisions related to cadres as per their whims and fancies. Several leaders have also expressed dissent over nominating Sudham Das as an MLC. The leaders also wrote to the high command against it. Likewise, there are many unwanted developments within the cadre. The party will resolve all issues and finish these major appointments at the earliest,” elaborated the Congressman.
At present, ministers Ramalinga Reddy and Satish Jarkiholi, MLC Saleem Ahmed, and former MP BN Chandrappa are working presidents.
“Ramalinga Reddy and Satish Jarkiholi are likely to step down as working presidents as they are Cabinet ministers. The remaining two will continue. Of the two, one is likely to be given to a Lingayat, and another to a Dalit,” claimed party sources.
Shivakumar recently announced plans for a crucial meeting after 25 October on the pending appointments of boards and corporations as well as the party working president.
Shivakumar told reporters: “The agenda for the gathering includes the clearance of appointments to various boards and corporations, with a particular focus on deliberating the appointment of the working president.”
He emphasised the party’s commitment to decentralising power, expressing a willingness to empower legislators and party workers.
“Originally, the meeting was scheduled for 20 October with the chief minister. The meeting had to be postponed and is now set to take place after the Dasara festival,” he had said.
Acknowledging the hectic schedule of the state in-charge and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is busy with the distribution of tickets for Rajasthan and other poll-bound states, Shivakumar said: “The announcement of tickets is likely to be made this week, and a meeting prior to that will finalise the appointments.”
Undeterred by discussions about a purported power crisis in the state, Shivakumar asserted: “The government is steadfast in delivering good governance and honouring electoral promises.”
He dispelled concerns about power shortages, assuring uninterrupted power in industrial zones and a guaranteed five-hour power supply for farmers.
However, he refrained from answering when asked about the delay in the appointment of chairpersons to various boards and corporations and a working president for the party.
