Daijiworld Media Network-Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Jul 19: Presently there are two vacancies in the cabinet of chief minister Siddaramaiah after K J George resigned on Monday July 18 as minister after the Madikeri court directed the police to file FIR against him in relation to the suicide of DySP Ganapati.

One ministerial berth was not filled during the cabinet reshuffle recently and that post is reserved for a Vokkaliga, it is learnt. There are presently four contenders to this post. C P Yogeshwar from Channapattna, Dr Sudhakar from Chikkaballapur, Narendra from Hanoor and M Krishnappa from Vijayanagara are the candidates for this one Vokkaliga reserved vacancy in the cabinet.

Another vacancy created by George’s exit is reserved for a Christian candidate. There are only two contenders for this post and both are from Mangaluru city. MLA J R Lobo from Mangaluru South and nominated MLC and chief whip in Legislative Council Ivan D’Souza are these two members. J R Lobo is senior by age and experience in administration with bureaucratic background. Ivan D’Souza is younger by age but has more political experience.

J R Lobo is more preferred as Ivan has been made chief whip recently, some sources said. But taking into account Ivan’s proximity to the chief minister, he can also be made a minister. But then Lobo has to be accommodated somehow with a position. He can be made a chairman of some corporation and board in that case.