Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 5: The nagging issue of ministry expansion will come haunting Congress leaders immediately after the declaration of bypoll results this week. The aspirants have been pressurizing the leaders of both Congress and JD(S) to convene coordination committee meeting and spell out a clear stand on the issue.

The results of the three Lok Sabh and two assembly seats are expected to be announced on November 6. In this backdrop, discussions over ministry expansion have begun. The pressure is immense within the Congress where several legislators have been demanding for undertaking the exercise without further delay. They also want the government to complete the exercise of filling vacancies in boards and corporations along with ministry expansion. Some of them are even considering the option to visit national leaders at New Delhi to get the needful one.

If the Congress is able to register good result in the bypoll, party leaders will get the clout to have their say. If the party is drubbed, the expansion itself might get postponed, it is said. The Congress leaders are also jittery about handling the disgruntled MLAs once the ministry expansion is affected. At the same time, if the BJP is able to get good result in the bypoll, it may reach a position where it can attract legislators from other parties, thus shaking the existence of the coalition government.

Leaders like H K Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, M B Patil, Roshan Baig, Satish Jarkiholi, Anand Singh, B C Patil, Dr Ajai Singh, M T B Nagaraj, C S Shivalli, Tukaram, Nagendra, B K Sangameshwar, and R Sudhakar are said to be trying very hard to become ministers from the Congress. JD(S) has the option of nominating one minster from its quota, and another in the vacancy created by the resignation of N Mahesh, education minister. It might go for MLC, Basavaraj Horatti, to fill the vacancy created by the exit of N Mahesh, education minister, who left as per the orders of BSP leadership.

As per the decision taken by the coordination committee during the fag end of August this year, it was decided to expand the ministry before the third week of September. However, because of bypoll, the expansion was postponed. This time the government is left with no other reasons to postpone the process again. Congress can fill six vacancies in the ministry this time. This time, several younger legislators have been demanding positions for them, duly asking the leadership to use services of senior leaders for organizational duties of the party.