Another cabinet reshuffle on the cards: KPCC Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao
Bengaluru, Jun 15: Amid simmering discontent within the Congress in Karnataka over the induction of two Independent MLAs into the coalition government's ministry, the party's state unit chief Saturday said a "reshuffle will definitely happen", and several senior leaders will be "taken into confidence".
This comes a day after Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet by inducting R Shankar and H Nagesh into the ministry, in an apparent move to give stability to his 13-month old wobbly JD(S)-Congress coalition government.
The two Independent legislators were inducted into the minister overlooking the claims of several senior leaders, particularly in Congress, who are sulking ever since they failed to make it to the ministry earlier.
Other than Siddaramaiah and top ministers, most of the Congress leaders and senior legislators such as H K Patil, B C Patil and Sudhakar who are ministerial aspirants, had skipped Friday's swearing-in ceremony, giving credence to reports of a growing discontent.
Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters here, "Reshuffle will happen definitely... Most probably in about six to eight months the process of reshuffle will begin and many who have not got the opportunity, including several seniors, they will be taken into confidence."
"Evaluation of ministers' performance and representation will be looked into and decided (during the reshuffle)," he said.
Terming the induction of Independent MLAs into the state cabinet as "most unfortunate," B C Patil, the Congress MLA from Hirekeru, said that he is discussing future move with other legislators and friends.
Hitting out at the Congress state leadership, he said, "It looks like saving the government is more important than saving the party. If the party survives there will be government."
Pointing out that the Congress won only one seat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Patil said rather than legislators who worked for it, Independents who won against the party were being given berths.
"I'm unable to understand the logic behind it," he said, claiming that Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara had given assurance that he would be made minister after the general elections.
Noting that Patil might have spoken out of "disappointment", state Agriculture Minister N H Shivashankar Reddy too said a cabinet reshuffle was on the cards.
"It has already been decided that after some time, sitting ministers should make way for new faces, during which he (Patil) may be accommodated," he said.
The cabinet expansion on Friday was seen as a move to ensuring that the two Independent lawmakers don't jump the ship once again and move to the BJP, affecting the stability of the government.
Shankar was inducted from the Congress' share and Nagesh from the JD(S) quota in the ministry. Under the coalition arrangement, out of the total 34 ministerial positions, Congress and JD(S) have 22 and 12 berths respectively.
Prior to the expansion, three posts were vacant-- two from JD(S) and one from Congress. There is still one post vacant in the JD(S) share.
Faced with a rout in the Lok Sabha polls and growing disgruntlement within, the coalition leaders, after a series of negotiations, had decided to fill vacant posts in the cabinet.
An increasing number of cabinet berth aspirants in the Congress is worrying the coalition leaders, as this may once again lead to disgruntlement and cause disturbance in the smooth functioning of the government.
Meanwhile, dismissing reports about his resignation as state Congress chief, Rao said, he has not written any letter to the party high command as being reported, and his continuation as the party's state unit chief is left for the Congress leadership to decide.
Rao was conspicuous by his absence at the cabinet expansion on Friday.
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Radha, Richa set up India Women's 21–run win, 5-0 T20I series sweep over Bangladesh
Sylhet (Bangladesh), May 9: Radha Yadav (3/24) ran through Bangladesh’s top-order after Richa Ghosh’s quickfire unbeaten 28 off 17 balls, setting up India’s 21–run win in the fifth T20I and a 5-0 series sweep here on Thursday.
Chasing a huge 157-run target, Bangladesh began promisingly but collapsed against the left-arm spinner Yadav. Despite the rearguard act by Ritu Moni (37, 33b, 4x4) and Shorifa Khatun (28 not out, 21b, 3x4s), the hosts finished at 135 for six in 20 overs.
All-rounder Moni and Shorifa put on a resolute stand of 57 runs for the sixth wicket to lead the fightback and put India in pressure, but the visitors prevailed eventually.
The stand between Moni and Khatun was also Bangladesh's highest for the sixth wicket in WT20Is, breaking the 32 between Sanjida Islam and Nigar Sultana.
It was leg-spinner Asha Sobhana (2/25) who broke the resilient partnership, cleaning up Moni in the 17th over to shut the doors on the home side.
Bangladesh were left reeling at 52 for five halfway through but Moni and Shorifa reignited their hopes, cashing in on every opportunity to score boundaries and with deft rotation of strike.
Yadav made her first impression in the game with an athletic catch to get rid of an on-song Sobhana Mostary (13) off Titas Sadhu. Mostary had hit three fours off Pooja Vastrakar’s first over to set her side on track during the chase.
After getting Dilara Akter (4), caught at mid-off by Vastrakar for her first breakthrough off her first ball, Yadav cleaned up Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana (7) and pinned Rubya Haider (20) in the front of the stumps for two wickets in the ninth over to derail the hosts.
Earlier, Ghosh smacked a handy little innings with three fours and a six to take India to 156 for five, providing a much-needed impetus after the visitors stumbled with a flurry of wickets.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (30), Dayalan Hemalatha (37) and S Sajana (1) fell in quick succession which allowed Bangladesh to halt India’s progress as they were aiming for a big score.
Harmanpreet and Hemalatha put on 60 runs for the third wicket for a strong foundation.
India’s 156 for five was the highest total of the series from either team with Smriti Mandhana setting the tone early on, hitting four fours and one six to make a fluent 33 off 25 balls.
Yadav finished as the highest wicket-taker in the series with 10 dismissals in five games whereas Mandhana’s 116 runs in five outings were the most for any batter.
