Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, May 31: Congress leaders, who had earlier planned to drop some ministersand reorganize the ministry apart from filling vacant posts, have reportedly changed their minds. As the ministers are not prepared to sacrifice their posts to accommodate disgruntled leaders, the party is said to be planning only to fill the vacancies without dropping anyone for the present.
The leaders, in a bid to save the coalition government, have told the ministers to be prepared to sacrifice their positions if felt necessary. However, sensing the likelihood of rebellion taking root if the ministry reorganization exercise is undertaken now, the party has planned to wait till September before undertaking this exercise.
Both the coalition partners have been trying to retain the rebel legislators by offering them ministerial positions, sensing that the belligerent BJP may be trying woo some among them in a bid to topple the government. Some Congress ministers are unhappy at having to sacrifice their posts. Some ministers reportedly expressed their opposition to leaving the ministry within a year of their appointment.
Leader of the Congress legislature party, Siddaramaiah,too is said to be opposed to immediate ministry reorganization. He is said to be of the opinion that for the present, the unhappy MLAs should be appeased through alternative measures. He reportedly said that the three vacant positions can be filled now, and preparations for axing some ministers and inducting some in their places can be made only if the rebellion gets worse. Therefore, he has not asked any of the ministers to quit but told them to be always ready to abide by party's decisions.
There is information that Congress leaders are favouring a proposal to drop ministers who had completed full five years term in the previous government and have become ministers again in the current government..