Dissent brews in Congress: MB Patil, others miffed over being ignored in K’taka cabinet

“My self-respect is hurt” said Congress leader MB Patil even as a protest was launched outside KPCC office in Bengaluru.
Dissent brews in Congress: MB Patil, others miffed over being ignored in K’taka cabinet
Dissent brews in Congress: MB Patil, others miffed over being ignored in K’taka cabinet
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It’s been two weeks since JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy took oath as the Chief Minister in Karnataka and yet has no cabinet. Although twenty-five JD(S) and Congress leaders took oath as Ministers on June 6, the portfolios have not yet been allotted.

The discussions over cabinet formation has, however, angered several seniors and veterans in the Congress, who had aspirations to become minister. As dissent brews within the Congress, several leaders have come together with former minister MB Patil as their leader. On Friday, a protest was launched outside the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters in Bengaluru on Friday.

“I am of the opinion that two Deputy Chief Minister posts must have been created. One for a leader from North Karnataka and one from the South. My self-respect is hurt. I must have been given a ministerial post in the first round of selection itself,” MB Patil told the media.

As the situation grew out of control, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy too paid a visit to pacify the leader.

Patil, who spearheaded the movement for a separate Lingayat religion, said that he was disappointed that his own party had “dumped him”.

“But just because they dumped me, I will not dump the Congress,” Patil said after meeting with Kumaraswamy.

He also said that he was not alone in this struggle and that there are 20 MLAs who are willing to join him.

“I’m not alone. People like Satish Jarkiholi, MTB Nagaraju and others are with me and we’re all together,” he said.

Satish Jarkiholi and Nagaraju, who were also ministerial aspirants missed the opportunity and also spoke out against the alleged injustice doled out to them. “I’m not a senior or junior. We are all equal. We will sit together and decide what’s next. But we are not thinking of quitting,” Patil added.

After the meeting with MB Patil, the CM said that he was helpless in this issue and that only the Congress could resolve this issue. “I heard what MB Patil had to say. He is angry. I can’t do anything about it only Congress can fix this. I came to pacify him. I can only tell the Congress high command that they need to take remedial steps immediately,” Kumaraswamy said.

Congress is facing dissidence with many senior leaders miffed that they were not given ministerial berths. The Congress chose 14 legislators to become ministers in the coalition government.

Leaders including MB Patil, HK Patil, SR Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Ramalinga Reddy, R Roshan Baig - all of whom were ministers in the previous Siddaramaiah government - are upset over being not being given a portfolio this time around.

Satish Jarkiholi, who landed in Belagavi airport on Friday afternoon told the media that he would soon resign from the post of AICC secretary.

 

 

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