Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 11: To stymie the possible rebellion by Congress legislators who are angry at the fact that ministerial berths have been offered to independent MLAs as a measure to stop the government from crumbling, chairman of the coalition parties’ coordination committee and former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, has come up with a formula. He has sent messages to those who are insistent on becoming ministers that they would be made ministers for a period for three years, if they are willing to keep quiet for a year now.

But senior legislators of the party are not ready to repose faith on this offer. It is said that these leaders have dismissed this offer as an eyewash strategy.

When the coalition government was formed in the state, the Congress leaders had put forth such an offer before its legislators. Now that the party performed dismally in the Lok Sabha election, the coalition parties are afraid that the BJP might begin its plans to destabilize the state government. Therefore, they have decided to induct two independent legislators into the state ministry to avoid such a thing from happening.

Veteran leaders of the party like Roshan Baig, Ramalinga Reddy, B C Patil, and others have already expressed themselves against this move. Leader of the Congress legislature party, Siddaramaiah, has been extending the offer of giving ministerial positions to disgruntled leaders for three years to broker peace, it is gathered.

Those who are angry at being sidelined and not being included in the cabinet even in the coming expansion, are in a hurry to join the ministry as they are aware that the government itself may not last long. They refuse to accept the promises being made on its face value, as they are not sure that the political situation after a year would be same as it is now. They are also worried that the BJP leaders, who continue to have connections with some rebel leaders, may indulge in Operation Lotus in which case their dream of becoming a minister will be doomed. These thoughts were shared by some ministerial aspirants with their close ones.

The leaders are also doubtful about Siddaramaiah's claim of replacing the current ministers immediately after completion of two years term. Because, they know that it is not easy to remove senior ministers like deputy chief minister, Dr G Parameshwar, R V Deshpande, D K Shivakumar and K J George after they complete two years in office.