Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 20: It is reliably learnt that Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, has decided against filling the Bengaluru development ministry vacated by K J George. With this, two ministerial berths including the one unfilled post during recent reorganization have remained vacant.

In the past, after allegations surfaced against Santosh Lad about illegal mining, he was dropped. He has again been inducted into the ministry now. Likewise, the chief minister strongly belives that George will come back unscathed in suicide case of DySP, M K Ganapati. Therefore ministry expansion will not happen in near future, sources added.

By the time the next session of the legislature begins, the cases against George will most likely be decided. He will become Bengaluru development minister again, as per current plans. A Congress leader said that the chief minister will not allot this ministry to anyone else.

There were expectations that either MLA, J R Lobo, or MLC and chief whip of the legislative council, Ivan D'Souza, may be given this ministry. But chances for them are bleak because of current developments.

There are rumours that for the other vacant seat, Ambareesh would be brought back. At the same time, the names of aspirants like Chikkaballapur MLA, Dr Sudhakar, M Krishnappa of Vijayanagara and C P Yogeshwar of Channapatna are being coined. It is said that no concrete decision has been taken about filling this vacancy as yet.