The uneasy relationship between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and State Congress president G. Parameshwara, apparently, came to the fore again on Monday. Talks between the two leaders to arrive at a consensus on selection of candidates to head various government-owned boards and corporations, failed to move forward.
The two leaders, who were meeting for the first time after the recent Assembly byelections at a private hotel in the city, came with separate and long lists of candidates to head over 70 State-level boards and corporations. A one-on-one meeting between the two leaders ended after a brief period in the morning, but not before they pushed names of their ‘loyalists’ to the posts of chairpersons, sources in the Congress told The Hindu.
Though the party high command instructed the State leaders to give priority to party workers in the appointments, it is learnt that the Chief Minister was keen on giving posts of profit-making boards/corporations to his loyalist legislators, which, it is said, was opposed by Dr. Parameshwara.
However, another source said though Dr. Parameshwara had come with a list of names, Mr. Siddaramaiah reportedly told him that he would talk to officials of the boards and corporations to get ‘more details’ because some of the posts, such as of the KMF, needed to be filled through nominations. The issue, however, will be discussed after the KPCC executive committee meeting scheduled on September 20.
Mr. Siddaramaiah, who had postponed the appointments citing various reasons in the past, has to balance the demands of a large number of MLAs and MLCs, who are seeking posts. The process is unlikely to be finalised by this month-end, sources said. They also said no other issue were discussed by the two leaders.
It may be recalled that the party high command had instructed State leaders to appoint heads to boards and corporations by September-end. Sources in the party said the leaders are expected to air their grievances before AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Digvijay Singh, who arrives in Belgaum on Tuesday to attend a function of the Vishwakarma community on September 17.
(The Hindu)
