Daijiworld Media Network -Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 16: The Congress high command delivered a big blow to the aspirations of its leaders who have been let down by the party's decision not to make them ministers. They were earlier told that to the extent possible, they would be absorbed during the ministry expansion, but the latest decision has come as a bolt from the blue for them

The party's central leadership had promised several disgruntled leaders that they would be undertaking the exercise of distributing the remaining six posts of ministers soon. In a volte face, the party it is learnt, has decided against touching this aspect for at least six months. The party's current strategy is to offer posts of chairpersons of government boards and corporations to pacify these people. There is chance of this exercise being undertaken within the next about ten days. The national leadership of the party has left the issue of selecting legislators for appointments to these bodies, to the discretion of state leadership.

Congress president - Rahul Gandhi

The legislators, egos of several of whom have been hit by the neglect shown by the party in forming the ministry, are in a state of disbelief at this development. There is likelihood of legislators revolting against the party's decision. They were all along believed that the party high command, intimidated by their show of strength and number of supporters, is obliged to make them ministers. The leadership also had promised their names to be considered during the ministry expansion.

Party's Karnataka in-charge, K C Venugopal, had instructed dissidents not to convene meetings of dissidents. He had met several of these leaders and tried to dissuade them from going against the party leadership. Now these legislators are likely to go back to their old ways and convene meetings to discuss about strategies to force the party to yield.

The party has already said that it would review functioning of all ministers after six months. It is said that the party wants to remove inefficient ministers during this exercise, and accommodate dissident MLAs in the ministry at that time, instead of expanding the ministry now and earning ire
of many.

It is said that the state leaders had succeeded in convincing the leadership that the disgruntled legislators have been pacified and therefore immediate ministry expansion is not desirable. However, this decision can have serious repercussions, as many of the unhappy legislators are sitting quiet with the belief that they would be made ministers in a few days or weeks, and the above decision might cause heartburn for them.