Talk of cabinet expansion gains momentum in Karnataka as CM Bommai flies to Delhi
Bengaluru, Apr 5: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said he hopes to get instructions from the party leadership on the expansion or rejig of his cabinet, during the New Delhi trip.
The Chief Minister, who will be in the national capital today and tomorrow, is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J P Nadda.
"I have no such instructions so far, when I go there and when I meet Amit Shah and Nadda ji, I hope to get...." Bommai said in response to a question on cabinet expansion or rejig.
Speaking to reporters here ahead of his travel, he said he has sought appointment from Nadda and Shah. "...it is not yet fixed, if it is fixed, I will meet them."
When told that some Ministerial aspirants are in Delhi, he merely said, "...naturally."
There is pressure mounting on the Chief Minister to expand or rejig his cabinet soon, after the recent Assembly elections in five states.
Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the assembly election next year.
There are currently 30 Ministers in the State Cabinet, including the CM, against the sanctioned strength of 34.
Shah, who was recently in the city, had set a target of 150 seats to Karnataka BJP leaders for 2023 assembly elections in the state, where the ruling party is eyeing a successive term.
Bommai said he will be meeting Union Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to discuss Mekedatu, Mahadayi, Upper Krishna, Upper Bhadra projects, and other river projects, requesting for their quick implementation with technical and administrative clearences.
He said he will also be meeting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman regarding GST issues, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sainik Schools, and try to meet Union Power Minister R K Singh.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
