Last Update: February 06, 2023, 17:08 IST
Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah challenged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to set up a commission of inquiry headed by a Supreme Court judge to probe both terms if his government had the guts. (PTI)
Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah also alleged that “excessive bribery” was another reason why Bommai was not exercising and keeping many portfolios with himself.
Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Monday claimed that the “secret” behind Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai not expanding his cabinet was to avoid inducting BJP stalwart BS Yediyurappa’s son as a minister.
Speaking to reporters, he also alleged that “excessive bribery” was another reason why Bommai was not practicing and keeping several portfolios with himself.
“BJP did injustice to Yeddyurappa; They removed him from the post of Chief Minister in connivance with the RSS and brought in Basavaraj Bommai. There is a rift between Yediyurappa and Bommai now because Bommai did not expand the cabinet to avoid inducting Yediyurappa’s son into the ministry,” claimed Siddaramaiah.
“When the cabinet is expanded, they will have to make Yeddyurappa’s son a minister, the chief minister did not expand the ministry and six posts are kept vacant, it has been more than one-and-a-half years now,” he said.
Pointing out that the Chief Minister holds multiple portfolios, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly alleged that this was because he would get more bribes.
These are the two reasons why Bommai is not expanding the cabinet, he claimed.
About one-fourth of the portfolios are with the chief minister as Bommai is in charge of about eight of them, including Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), Bengaluru City Development and Finance.
Bommai has been repeatedly saying in recent months that he has discussed the expansion of the cabinet with the party high command and will take the process forward after getting their nod.
Assembly elections are due in the state by May.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)