Bengaluru: An expansion of the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka will take place on Monday, nearly three months after a major rejig which had triggered discontent over dropping of some ministers. “State cabinet expansion on September 5 at 4.30 pm at Glass House of Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru,” the state department of information and public relations said in a release. People in the Congress party who are familiar with the matter said that M. Krishnappa, a Vokkaliga leader representing the Vijaynagar assembly constituency, is likely to be inducted into the cabinet. This is seen by political observers as a move by chief minister Siddaramaiah, heading the three-year-old Congress government, to assuage the ruffled sentiments of the Vokkaliga community who have been expressing their ire for dropping their leaders—M.H. The chief minister, in a major revamp, had sacked 14 ministers and inducted 13 members into his council of ministers on 20 June, which led to discontent with actor-turned politician Ambareesh resigning as MLA (member of legislative assembly).

Source: Mint September 04, 2016 16:41 UTC