First-time legislators of Congress in Karnataka will be a disappointed lot as the party has decided not to entertain their names for chairpersons of boards and corporations.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, November 29, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, "The first time MLAs are excluded from the current list, with plans to include party workers in the upcoming roster."
This comes as Congress leaders and MLAs have been vying to become chairpersons of 80-odd government bodies. The final list is however unlikely to come before the start of the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi on December 4. Party legislators who are not accommodated with ministerial berths are usually pacified with positions on various boards and corporations as chairpersons.
Shivakumar added that along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala had held discussions about corporation board recruitment and opportunities for party workers. “We gave the list to Surjewala who took it to Delhi. Following the conclusion of the election campaign in Telangana, the party high command will go through it and decide the final list," he said.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa had earlier said that he had suggested to the party leaders to hasten the process of appointment in the interest of the party and the government.