Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar calls meeting of Ministers to strategise ahead of session
Ahead of the Monsoon Session commencing on Thursday, the Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has convened a meeting of Ministers to strategise the government’s response during
Ahead of the Monsoon Session commencing on Thursday, the Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has convened a meeting of Ministers to strategise the government’s response during the Monsoon Session starting on Thursday. Speculation has been rife over the allocation of portfolios to the 19 newly inducted Ministers for the past two days, but the exercise has been held up due to pressure to accommodate a few disgruntled legislators and lobbying for portfolios among those inducted.
Given the pressure, the portfolios are being finalised by the party’s central leadership in consultation with the Chief Minister. Sources said the Chief Minister spoke to senior Ministers individually, asking them to attend an informal meeting on Wednesday afternoon, during which he is expected to discuss the government’s strategy for handling the Opposition during the legislature session. The informal meeting comes on the eve of the session, and a Cabinet meeting has also been scheduled for Thursday.
Amid the delay in portfolio allocation, the Cabinet meeting was postponed from Wednesday to Thursday. “It is more likely that the portfolios will be allocated. In case the portfolios are not allocated before the session, Ministers with portfolios could step in on behalf of the Chief Minister, who is holding all the additional portfolios, to respond to questions,” sources said. Incidentally, Mr. Shivakumar recently told the media that if the allocation of portfolios was not possible, he would respond to all questions pertaining to the portfolios under him.
Sources said the government could also discuss and strategise on various other issues that may arise during the session.
The BriefWire