From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Aug 26: Creation of the Deputy Chief Minister’s post as well as deciding the date and induction of new ministers for expansion of the Siddaramaiah Cabinet are the prerogatives of the Chief Minister, declared AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Coordination Committee, the AICC in-charge for the State on Tuesday made it clear that the party high command does not interfere in matters like expansion of the State Cabinet or creating the post of the Deputy Chief Minister in Karnataka.
The State party coordination committee meeting was attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara in the backdrop of the ruling Congress party’s resounding victory in snatching the Bellary rural assembly seat, considered a BJP bastion over the last decade, and retaining the Chikkodi-Sadalga seat along with almost coming near the victory post in BJP former chief minister B S Yeddyuurappa’s stronghold Shikaripura in Shimoga district.
The chief minister Siddaramaiah has already indicated that he would take a decision on expansion of his cabinet, especially filling up the four vacant ministerial slots, after his meeting with the AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi.
Siddaramaiah has been under intense pressure to reshuffle the cabinet and expand his ministry with the KPCC chief reportedly eyeing the Deputy Chief Minister's post.
On creation of Deputy Chief Minister’s post, DigvijaySingh said: ''That is the prerogative of the Chief Minister.”
''This is something that the Chief Minister and AICC President will look into,” he remarked.
Several legislators looking for a ministerial berth met Singh, in charge of party affairs of Karnataka, and pleaded their case.
Singh also said rural local body elections were due in the state and the party has to gear up to fight them as “this is our next political challenge.
The AICC General Secretary claimed that the so called NarendraModi-wave is on the wane, as has become evident in the bypoll results in states.
Singh said: ''I would like to thank the electorate of the constituencies where the by-elections were held, because there has been a substantial jump in the voting for the Congress party in these by elections."
The claim by BJP that the so-called Modi wave is all pervasive throughout the country stands exposed where BJP has not gained in any of the by-polls, he said and contended that the BJP has lost seats which it held earlier.
The Congress has bagged two seats in the State in by-elections in the State.
The Congress has won in Bellary (ST) and the Chikkodi-Sadalga seat, while the BJP bagged the Shikaripura seat.
He took a swipe at BJPfor using the "love-jihad" controversy for communalising the society in Uttar Pradesh.
He condemned the BJP for using the alleged gang-rape of a Hindu woman in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh to give a communal edge.
Meanwhile, supporters of Congress MLAs R V Devraj and Rajashekar Patil gathered in large numbers outside the KPCC office demanding ministerial berths for the two MLAs. Police were deployed to control the situation.