Bangalore: First session of 14th Assembly from May 29, says CM
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 18: The first session of the newly constituted 14th assembly is likely to be convened from May 29, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah indicated to reporters on Saturday.
Speaking the reporters after the first meeting of his cabinet following the induction of 28 ministers, he said the inaugural session of the new assembly is “most likely to be convened from May 29.”
The Chief Minister chaired the first meeting of his cabinet after its expansion with the induction of 20 Cabinet rank Ministers and eight Ministers of State.
Veteran Congress leader and former Minister Kagodu Thimmappa would be elected as the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, he said.
Thimmappa won the assembly elections from Sagar constituency in Shimoga district.
All the newly elected MLAs would be formally taking oath as members in the assembly, which would be administered by the new speaker. The new speaker will be appointing a panel of presiding officers to assist him in the task.
It is, however, not known whether the speaker’s election will be followed by holding election to the post of Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, a post carrying the rank and perks of a minister of state.
Incidentally, the Chief Minister will be required to appoint a person from the ruling Congress legislature party as the Government Chief Whip, who will also enjoy the status and perks of a minister.
The Cabinet, which met for about 45 minutes, authorised the Chief Minister to take decisions on administrative matters and holding of the State legislature session.
Responding to questions on the non-inclusion of members of the Legislative Council in to the Cabinet, Siddaramaiah said an MLC would be inducted into the Cabinet soon.
He, however, did not indicate when the minister would be inducted.
Several Congress members of the Upper House, including Veeranna Mathikatti and S R Patil, both of whom belong to the Lingayat community, are hot contenders for ministerial berths.
Generally, the leader of the House in the Upper should be member of that House and the Minister, the chief minister said and made it clear that he would take steps to ensure that.
To a question on non-inclusion of tainted ministers in the Cabinet, the Chief Minister said the Ministers’ list was approved by the party high command and he had no role in the formation of the Ministry.
Soon after the Cabinet meeting, several ministers spoke to the press and expressed their happiness for being included in the Council of Ministry.
The Ministers said they would accept any portfolio that may be allocated by the Chief Minister and discharge their duties in the interest of the State.
Minister R V Deshpande said some of his colleagues in the party were unhappy for denying Cabinet berths to some former Ministers.
Among the Congress legislators D K Shivakumr and Anil Lad, who could not find ministerial berths despite strong lobbying, are reportedly cut up at being ignored.