Sought action against senior party legislator Roshan Baig from the high command: KPCC Chief
Bengaluru, June 18: Ruling out discontent in the Congress after the recent cabinet expansion, the party state unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao Tuesday said loyalty would be the main criterion in the ministry reshuffle that is on the cards.
Rao said no one had expressed disgruntlement after the cabinet was expanded last week with the induction of two Independent MLAs and added that the party would not accept 'blackmailing' by anyone to get a ministerial berth.
He also said that he has already sought action from the high command against senior party legislator Roshan Baig for his outburst against the state leadership.
Baig's alleged links with IMA jewels, allegedly involved in a financial fraud, duping thousands of investors, would be brought to the notice of central leadership, Rao told reporters here.
"Who has expressed disgruntlement? No one has done so.
We have already said- we have done cabinet expansion, when the reshuffle happens,those who are loyal to the Congress will get an opportunity in the days to come," Rao said.
He said "there should be loyalty towards the party and unnecessarily confusion should not be created about the government and no one should indulge in blackmailing. Such things cannot be accepted by the party."
After the ministry expansion, Rao had said that the process of reshuffle would begin in about six to eight months, during which time those who had not got the opportunity, including several seniors, would be taken into confidence.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had expanded his cabinet on June 14 by inducting two Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh into the ministry in an apparent move to give stability to his 13-month old wobbly government.
The two were inducted overlooking the claims of several senior leaders, particularly in the Congress, who are sulking ever since they failed to make it to the ministry earlier.
Post the cabinet expansion, disgruntlement has been simmering within the Congress, with several legislators holding secret meetings, party sources said.
Hitting out at the party leadership, three time Congress legislator from Hirekeru B C Patil recently termed as 'most unfortunate', the move to give Ministry to independents by sidelining party loyals and said he was talking to other MLAs and friends on the future move.
He had also said action had been sought against Baig, as he had accused the state leadership of selling minister's posts and had spoken ill of Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, Rao said all this had shared with the high command.
As Baig is an AICC member and senior leader, action has to be taken against him by the high command, he said.
On his alleged association with IMA Jewels, which is allegedly involved in a ponzi scheme fraud, he said he had received several petitions which would be forwarded to the high command.
Hitting out at Congress leaders for the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls, Baig had recently held Siddaramaiah's "arrogance" and Rao's "immaturity" responsible for the "flop show".
He had also called Venugopal a "buffoon."
KPCC had issued a show cause notice to Baig for his conduct, to which he has not responded, according to sources.
Against the backdrop of the alleged financial fraud involving IMA jewels, Revenue minister R V Deshpande Monday said Baig had introduced the firm's owner Mohammed Mansoor Khan to him about two months ago, but denied doing any undue favour.
Reacting to this, Rao said "Deshpande (Revenue Minister R V Deshpande) is a former KPCC President; he is a senior Congress leader holding high position.
His statement has to be considered seriously, as this issue has been given to SIT, all these things will be inquired."
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.
Crossing river, trekking hill voters reach polling booths to cast vote in Surguja LS constituency
Balrampur/Chhattisgarh (PTI): Enthusiastic voters reached polling booths trekking steep hilly paths, crossing a river and even on a horse to cast their votes in remote areas of the tribal-dominated Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, officials said.
Balrampur district falls under the Surguja Lok Sabha constituency which was among seven seats where polling was held in third and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state. The Surguja Lok Sabha recorded 74.59 per cent voting, as per the Turnout application.
Voters, belonging to Pahadi Korva, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, including Rajesh, Madan, Sukhu, Gopal and Nandlal, crossed a river to exercise their franchise at a polling booth in village panchayat Amera under the Samri assembly constituency, a government official said.
Similarly, electors, including Lakhan Nagesia, Sahu, Phulsai and Kalesh of Bachwar village under the Ramanujganj assembly constituency walked through hilly terrain for about two hours covering 8 kms to reach a polling booth and cast their vote, he said. A voter, Parimal Dey, reached a polling booth in Sagarpur village under the Ramanujganj assembly seat on a horse, the official said. Dey is a cattle rearer who owns 150 goats.
Two hyper sensitive polling booths -- Chunchuna and Pundag -- located in a Naxal-affected area of the district which shares border with Jharkhand, also recorded significant turnout, he said. The two booths are located in the Samri assembly constituency.
"Special security arrangements were put in place in this area to ensure peaceful voting. Voters of Chunchuna and Pudang ensured their participation in the great festival of democracy braving Naxalite threat," he said. The Chunchuna polling booth has 767 voters and it recorded 84.35 per cent turnout, while Pundag has 595 electors and it registered a turnout of 72.44 per cent till 5 pm, the official added.
