Ruling Cong to finalise key board appointments next week

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the ruling Congress will finalise appointments to various state-run boards and corporations after one more round of discussions next week, and the list will then be sent to the party high command for approval.

Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala has been discussing the exercise with the state leadership in the city since Tuesday.

"Today also he (Surjewala) has held discussions. Some of us leaders are also talking to him. We have sought the opinion of some senior leaders and legislators. He is coming back again on November 28. Meanwhile, Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) and I will be going to Telangana for election campaigning," Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President said.

Siddaramaiah on Tuesday indicated that appointments to various statutory boards and corporations will be made in phases, with sitting MLAs and MLCs expected to be rewarded first, followed by workers and former legislators.

Rubbishing rumours that Home Minister G Parameshwara is upset regarding the non-inclusion of some of his supporters to probable list of boards and corporation appointees, Shivakumar called it "unnecessary speculation" and said: "All are one in the party, and everyone is a Congress supporter, those who could not get Minister post, their names are being considered based on seniority."

The BJP in a post on 'X' alleged, "Siddaramaiah government that systematically manages the transfer business (cash for postings) over phone, was waiting so far to auction boards and corporations posts. Surjewala has now come and is holding discussions on the process of auctioning the posts, which was postponed earlier, as dealings could not happen properly."

"As a result, the amount for the posts of Boards and Corporations has again come for up discussion," the principal opposition party in the State claimed.

There has been some disgruntlement and growing impatience within the Congress party, with legislators, who could not make it to the Ministry and were keenly aspiring for key boards and corporations, unhappy about the delay in appointments.