Now that the drama around the recently concluded Karnataka elections and CM HD Kumaraswamy's cabinet is finally dying down, Congress is said to be finding new ways of appeasing MLAs who were not allotted a cabinet berth. It is being said that the party plans to rotate the ministers after a period of two years.
Governor of Karnataka Vajubhai Vala administered the oath to 22 MLAs of Congress and 12 MLAs of the JD(S) as state cabinet ministers on June 6. While things went quite smoothly at the swearing-in ceremony, several Congress members are said to be miffed about being left out of the cabinet and the several parts of the state also saw protests by party supporters.
But with the rotation plan coming into the picture, it looks like the Congress has it all figured out. The party plans to assess the performance of its ministers every six months and those not doing their job will have to make way for others, who, for now, have not been allotted a ministry, reported the Times of India.
The Congress is reportedly working on a three-point formula when it comes to the ministers and their tenure. "This is not the final cabinet. The ministers' performance will be reviewed every six months and those not meeting targets will be asked to go," AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, KC Venugopal told TOI.
"For the time-being, no first-time MLA will be inducted into the cabinet. The six berths which have not been filled will be kept on hold. The ministers' tenure is on a rotation basis for two years."
Explaining Venugopal's point, KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the ministers who will be brought in after two years will have a tenure of three years. "But those who do not perform will be asked to go during the periodic six-month performance assessment," he said.
The MLAs who were not alloted a cabinet berth have accused the party of not being able to make the right choice. It is also being said that the miffed members of Congress will hold a meeting on Friday, June 8, and decide further course of action. A few MLAs also met on June 7 at MB Patil's residence and discussed the issue.
"We've discussed how to set it right by bringing it to the notice of the party high command for ignoring capable and efficient aspirants," Satish Jarkiholi said.
However, something that is likely to in turn miff the party high command is the fact that some MLAs are also planning to leave the Congress and join BJP. HM Revanna has already said that he is in talks with the BJP and plans to join the party. The BJP too has confirmed that Revanna had spoken to the party and that they would be glad to take him in.
The day Kumaraswamy's cabinet was sworn in, many supporters of Congress MLAs held protests and demanded that their candidates be given ministerial posts. But it looks like they will have to wait for at least another six months to see this happening.
Meanwhile, several speculations have been made on which minister will get what portfolio, and the confirmation on the same is expected on Friday, June 8.
