Remain patient, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar tells ministerial aspirants

Asking ministerial aspirants to remain patient, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday said they should not come in delegations to lobby, and that the decision on their inclusion in the ministry will be taken by the Central leadership.

“I urge that delegation of followers of leaders should not come to lobby for ministerial berths on behalf of their leaders. I am not sure how the party high command will decide on Cabinet expansion. The party will strive to take everyone along,” the Chief Minister told a delegation of followers of Vijayanand Kashappanavar that met him with a petition to make their leader a Cabinet Minister on Sunday.

While 13 Ministers have been sworn in along with Mr. Shivakumar, the party, which has 139 MLAs, is under enormous pressure as the number of aspirants is high. The expansion is expected before the Monsoon Session of the legislature, which is likely to be held in August.

Speaking to the delegation, Mr. Shivakumar said: “From first-timers to legislators who have won multiple times, all have expressed a desire to become Minsters. There are 33 Cabinet berths for which regional and caste combinations have to be worked out. The party leadership will decide on this. We have to follow rules within the party.”

Recalling that he also became a Minister at a young age, he said that he also wanted to accommodate youngsters in the Cabinet, and that everyone should be patient.