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."
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CM Siddaramaiah, FM Nirmala Sitharaman lead polio vaccination drive in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman led the statewide pulse polio vaccination drive on Sunday.
While Siddaramaiah kicked off the campaign along with state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Home Minister G Parameshwara at his residence 'Kaveri' here, Sitharaman, who is in Vijayanagara district in the state, holding Chintan Shivir, administered pulse polio drops to children below five years of age in Kamalapura.
"Smt @nsitharaman launched the Polio Immunisation Drive in Kamalapura, Karnataka, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to safeguarding child health and ensuring a polio-free India," a post on her 'X' account said.
The post further said that children under five years of age were administered Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) drops, "reinforcing the collective effort to protect future generations through timely immunisation."
According to the details shared by the health departments, about 62.4 lakh children have been identified for it.
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"Under the routine immunization programme, every Child is given 5 doses of OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) and 3 doses of IPV (inactivated injectable polio vaccine) and Government of Karnataka is committed that no child should miss these doses," a government statement said.
Apart from all hospitals in the state, special focus will be given to immunise children living in villages, hilly areas, brick kilns, slums, migrant areas, farmhouses, urban slums. Booths will also be set up in railway stations, metro stations, airports and Seaports, the statement said.
The state health department has set up 33,258 booths and deployed 1,030 mobile teams, 2,096 transit teams, 1,13,115 vaccinators and 7,322 Supervisors.
All children below five years of age will be administered the oral polio vaccine on December 21, 2025.
"Even if your child has received any number of doses of OPV before, it is very essential to immunise your child again during this round," the department said.
In order to allay concerns, the department said the polio vaccine is completely safe and people should not to believe in any false rumours.
Smt @nsitharaman launched the Polio Immunization Drive in Kamalapura, Karnataka, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to safeguarding child health and ensuring a polio-free India.
— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) December 21, 2025
On the occasion, children under five years of age were administered Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)… pic.twitter.com/PN4IJUGtnn
ಗೃಹಕಚೇರಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾದಲ್ಲಿ "ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಲಸಿಕಾ ದಿನ"ವನ್ನು ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಪಲ್ಸ್ ಪೋಲಿಯೊ ಲಸಿಕೆ ಹಾಕುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಿದೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 21, 2025
ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರೂ ತಮ್ಮ 5 ವರ್ಷದೊಳಗಿನ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿದ ತಪ್ಪದೇ ಪೋಲಿಯೊ ಲಸಿಕೆ ಹಾಕಿಸುವ ಮೂಲಕ "ಪೋಲಿಯೊ ಮುಕ್ತ ಭಾರತ"ದ ನಮ್ಮ ಅಭಿಯಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಬೆಂಬಲವಾಗಿ ನಿಲ್ಲಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಮನವಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ.
ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ದಿನೇಶ್… pic.twitter.com/uClMoqOnyB
