Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jun 6: The JD(S)-Congress coalition government finally expanded its cabinet by inducting a total of 25 ministers. While fourteen are from Congress, nine are from Janata Dal (Secular) and one each from BSP and KPJP. However, fissures have started to appear in the coalition with hopeful MLA’s who failed to get ministerial berths along with their supporters staging protests in different parts of the state.

While Congress has kept six seats vacant and JD(S) has kept one, to avoid rebellion and keep the hopes of MLAs still up, Satish Jarkhiholi seemed upset that he did not make it to the first list. His supporters staged a protest near Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru demanding a ministerial seat for him in the state cabinet.

A supporter of one of the MLAs even attempted suicide by pouring petrol on himself. He was rescued by other protestors.

B C Patil who was offered the post of minister by BS Yeddyurappa, in an alleged phone conversation, while the ministers were housed in a resort had rejected the offer. He had also made public the conversation. However, now he seemed upset that he failed to secure a berth. His supporters staged protest in Haveri.

M B Patil and C S Shivalii who were top contenders to become ministers were shocked to find their names dropped. While M B Patil’s supporters staged protests in Vijayapura, Patil told media that he was unhappy with the decision. “I will consult with former chief minister Siddaramaiah and decide future course of action,” he said. Around 200 of his supporters protested at Chalukya circle in Bengaluru. They burnt tyres and shouted slogans.

Senior Congress leaders who have held minister posts in Siddaramaiah government such as Shamanur Shivashankarappa, H K Patil, Roshan Baig and Ramalinga Reddy were not inducted as ministers.

In Mysuru, supporters of Tanveer Sait organised a procession with placards, condemning the exclusion of their leader. They burnt tyres and poured kerosene on themselves and slept on roads amidst traffic, threatening to commit suicide. The police had to intervene to vacate the protestors. Supporters of MLA Dr Sudhakar and N A Haris also staged protests.

Supporters of MLA Ajay Singh and residents of Jewargi taluk, staged a protest on the Bidar-Srirangapatna national highway in Jewargi town in Kalaburagi district on Wednesday. They blocked the highway and set tyres on fire.

In JD(S), Kuruba leader H Vishwanath and seven-time MLC who were hopeful of becoming a ministers did not find their name in the list. Kuruba leader H Vishwanath played a key role in orchestrating Siddaramiah’s defeat at Chamundeshwari.

JD(S) MLA DC Thammanna’s supporters staged protest as the High Command left out the Maddur MLA’s name from the cabinet.