As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the opposition in the Karnataka State Assembly, raised the questions of a delay in allocating portfolios to the ministers, the newly-elected State Chief Siddaramaiah has said it will be done soon.
The question regarding the delay was raised by former State Chief and BJP politician Basavaraj Bommai, as soon as Siddaramaiah introduced the ministers of his cabinet in the State Assembly.
“Happy that the State Chief has introduced Ministers to the House, they have all worked as Ministers in the past. Congratulations to the State Chief and all the ministers. But it would have been appropriate if he had introduced ministers after allocating portfolios to them, saying -- D K Shivakumar is Minister for this, G Parameshwara is Minister for this,” Bommai said.
Questioning the delay, the BJP leader said that if it was done at the earliest it would be good.
Replying to Bommai, Siddaramaiah assured the House that portfolios would be allocated soon but pointed out that in the past, BJP politician B.S. Yediyurappa had served as the lone member of the cabinet for quite some time before inducting ministers.
“Mr Former Chief Minister (Bommai), you need not have any doubts, they (Ministers) will be given responsibility at the earliest,” he said.
Responding to Siddaramiah’s remark on Yediyurappa, the BJP politician sought to remind the new state chief that Yediyurappa had served as the lone cabinet member because he was sworn-in alone. But in the latest case, the ministers have taken their oaths.
“You make them ministers and don't give them the responsibility, what will the people think? “ Bommai remarked. To this, the Congress politician said, “No one will think anything, if you (the opposition) don't think otherwise it will be enough.”
Notably, Siddaramiah and Shivakumar will be reaching Delhi on Wednesday to meet the Congress party leadership. They are expected to discuss cabinet expansion and the allocation of the ministers with the party's central leadership.
Siddharamiah, Shivakumar and eight legislators took the oath of office as State Chief, Deputy State Chief and ministers, respectively, on 20 May.