K'taka: 'Is hosting a dinner meet with Ministers major crime'? Siddaramaiah asks (Ld)

Bengaluru, Oct 13 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah while responding to rumours surrounding the dinner meet hosted by him for his Cabinet Ministers in Bengaluru, asked on Monday that "having a meal with Cabinet Ministers is supposed to be a major crime".

He spoke to reporters after inaugurating the Kittur festival torch before travelling to Hubballi.

When journalists asked about the dinner arranged on Monday for his Cabinet Ministers, the Chief Minister responded, "We occasionally have meals. Is having a meal a major crime?"

Amid the change in Chief Ministerial position in the state, Siddaramaiah is hosting a dinner meeting for his Cabinet Ministers in Bengaluru on Monday.

The development, coming at a time of speculation over the leadership change and strong rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle, has assumed significance in Karnataka.

The dinner is being organised at the Chief Minister's official residence -- 'Cauvery' in Bengaluru at 7 p.m. on Monday.

CM Siddaramaiah has invited all his Cabinet Ministers, and some Ministers have openly confirmed their attendance.

However, Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has not yet responded to the development.

Interestingly, Shivakumar has cancelled all his programmes for Monday, sparking further speculation.

Party sources say that the Deputy Chief Minister will attend the dinner along with Congress National General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Congress party sources said that Siddaramaiah has multiple agendas.

"The first is to send out a strong message that he (Siddaramaiah) remains firmly in command of the state party unit, amid claims from Shivakumar's aides that there will be a leadership change in November and talks of a "November Revolution" within the Congress government in Karnataka," party sources added.

The second agenda is to convey to Cabinet Ministers the need for "sacrifices" of Cabinet posts in the interest of the party, sources said.

Siddaramaiah faces the challenge of carrying out a Cabinet reshuffle without creating animosity.

Siddaramaiah's faction fears that those Ministers who lose their ministerial posts may be influenced to enter Shivakumar's faction.

The third agenda is to address concerns raised by the letter from the Karnataka State Contractors' Association to CM Siddaramaiah, sources added.

Sources said that the Chief Minister has taken the matter seriously, as the association has also sent the letter to the Congress high command.

Siddaramaiah is expected to instruct the Minister in-charge -- whose seven to eight departments are under scrutiny -- to streamline processes and resolve issues.

Ministers from Siddaramaiah's faction say that the dinner party is being hosted because it has been a long time since the Chief Minister interacted with them in a relaxed setting.

Siddaramaiah is also likely to brief Cabinet Ministers and Congress MLAs on the success of the guarantee schemes over the past two-and-a-half years and outline significant decisions to be taken by the Congress-led government in the future.

He is likely to discuss the challenges the state government will face after the caste census, particularly the significant changes to reservation and related matters.

Therefore, Siddaramaiah is likely to prepare prominent party leaders and Cabinet Ministers to face upcoming political challenges, while emphasising the importance of maintaining unity and harmony after the Cabinet reshuffle in the state.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the dinner meeting has been organised to give directions for the Cabinet Ministers to arrange funds for the Bihar Assembly elections.

The BJP has charged that the Congress has made Karnataka its ATM for the Bihar Assembly elections.

--IANS

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