No expansion, reshuffle of Cabinet in Karnataka right now, says CM Siddaramaiah
New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who reportedly met the Congress High Command here on Friday, has clarified that the state Cabinet will be neither reshuffled nor expanded in the near future. He also stated that the news was generated and spread by the media although he had not hinted at any such occurrence.
Addressing reporters in the city after meeting President of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Mallikarjun Kharge and former President and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah hit back at the media when asked about cabinet reshuffle and expansion in Karnataka. Denying having made any such statement so far, the CM said that the reporters were themselves answerable for it, given that the news was generated and spread by reporters.
He also pointed out that the media houses had published lists of Congress members who would possibly be the new ministers in the Karnataka government.
Siddaramaiah, who further said that the issues of restructuring the volume of the Cabinet, creation of portfolios and expansion were not discussed with the party high command, however, said that senior member Nagendra would be made a member of the Cabinet later.
A conference of the Congress party and the Backward Class organization, ‘Swabhimani Janandolana Samavesha’, will be organized on December 5 and attended by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar and Congress leader in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, said Siddaramaiah. He clarified that he had no information of any ‘anonymous letter’ regarding the conference to the high command and added that AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge too had made no reference to such communication during their meeting on Friday.
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Panchamasali Lingayat quota: Will place previous BJP govt's affidavit to SC before Assembly, says CM
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 9: In a bid to corner opposition BJP that has extended support to Panchamasali Linayats' protest demanding higher reservation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday told the state Assembly that he will place before it, the previous saffron party government's affidavit to the Supreme Court on the issue.
The Chief Minister's statement came a day ahead of Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-sect of the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, planning to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here demanding to be included in category 2A (15 per cent) of OBC reservation matrix. They are currently included under 3B (5 per cent).
He was responding to senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal urging the CM to take a concrete decision on Panchamasali Lingayats' demand.
ALSO READ: Panchamasali seer upset over restrictions on protests in Belagavi
"Panchamasali Lingayats have been demanding that they be included under 2A, I held two meetings with Kudalasangama Panchamasali Peetha seer Basava Jaya Mruthyunjaya Swami and other leaders and I have told them clearly that I'm not opposed to their reservation demands," Siddaramaiah said.
Noting that there are categories in OBC like category 1, 2A, 3A, 3B, and Veershaiva Lingayats and Panchamasali Lingayats come under category 3B, he said, "If we have to include any community under category 2A or 1 freshly, an application has to be filed before a permanent backward class commission."
Further stating that the previous government did not include the Panchamasali Lingayats under 2A category, Siddaramaiah said, "They instead cancelled 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and gave 2 percent from it to communities that come under 3B and 2 per cent to 3A communities."
When Muslims appealed against it in the Supreme Court, the previous BJP government had filed an affidavit undertaking that they will not withdraw 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims and will maintain the status quo, he said.
At this point, some BJP MLAs demanded CM not to make his own statement and to place the actual facts from the affidavit, and sought for discussion. Responding to it, Siddaramaiah said, "It is not my personal statement, I will place Supreme Court orders before the House the day after tomorrow.
What has happened in the Supreme Court, what undertaking you have given there, I will place everything before the House. I expect everyone will abide by the Supreme Court orders." The government will give a reply and make its stand clear when the issue is raised, he added.
Earlier, Home Minister G Parameshwara clarified to the Legislative Assembly that there are no restrictions on the protest by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday, demanding higher reservation, but tractors will not be permitted, as there was a plan to bring 5,000 tractors to the protest site near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the session is on.
"The Panchamasali community has planned a protest regarding their reservation demands, according to information I received they have plans to stage a protest near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha by bringing 5,000 tractors. If 5,000 tractors come, we will not be able to hold the session here and it will not be possible to maintain the law and order. So we have decided not to allow tractors and we have already communicated it," he said.
"Protesting is their right and we won't restrict it, but as it will be difficult to maintain law and order, we have said that tractors should not be brought. We will allow people to come in jeeps, with some restrictions, and we will maintain law and order. If we don't do it, you (opposition) will accuse us of not maintaining law and order. So if they do it with restraint, we will give permission," he said.
The Home Minister was responding to some BJP MLAs earlier in the day protesting from the well of the House alleging that the Belagavi district administration has put restrictions on a protest planned by the Panchamasali Lingayat community on Tuesday.
