Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Jan 9: The JD(S) legislature party meeting which was held here on Tuesday January 8 expressed strong resentment at the way Congress legislators have been criticizing chief minister (CM), H D Kumaraswamy, on the issue of appointment of heads to boards and corporations. The ministers and legislators felt that it is the responsibility of Congress leaders to gag these people from crossing the limits. They also said that if Congressmen continue to openly speak against the chief minister who is heading a coalition government with Congress as its partner, they too will have to give back in the same coin.
The participants of the meeting urged former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda, to speak to chairman of coordination committee, Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister, Dr G Parameshwara, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dinesh Gundu Rao, on the issue and impress upon them the need to order their leaders who are unnecessarily been vocal in deriding Kumaraswamy, to shut up. They pointed out that Congress MLA, Dr Sudhakar in particular, had spoken lightly of the chief minister and asserted that such behaviour cannot be tolerated.
Sources said that the legislators aired their anger at the way Congress legislators were appointed to corporations and boards which fall under the jurisdiction of JD(S) ministers. Speaking to media persons after the meeting, minister Sa Ra Mahesh said that the discussions held at the meeting related to appointments to the posts of heads of corporations and boards, parliamentary secretaries, political secretaries, and ministry expansion. He added that discussions were also held about preparations for Lok Sabha election and about strategies to win maximum seats. The meeting also decided to enter into understanding with Congress on seat sharing for Lok Sabha election.
Mahesh said that four among the party legislators would be offered the post of parliamentary secretary. Choosing of candidates for these posts is left to the discretion of Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy, he added.
The meeting decided to fill the posts of a political secretary, four parliamentary secretaries, and heads of ten corporations and boards. National president of JD(S), H D Deve Gowda, will be releasing the list of chosen persons within two days. Reports said that minister, H D Revanna, prevailed upon the leaders to offer the two vacant seats meant for JD(S) in the cabinet to B M Farooq and H K Kumaraswamy, as they belong to minority and Dalit categories respectively.