Amid talks about Cabinet reshuffle, Karnataka CM says Congress central leadership will decide

Mysuru: Amid talks about possible Cabinet reshuffle within the ruling party circles, and Ministerial aspirants openly expressing their aspirations, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the Congress central leadership would decide on this.

Charging the BJP with pushing the state to financial bankruptcy and debt while in power, Siddaramaiah said he was ready to present a white paper in the legislative Assembly on the financial position of the state during Congress and saffron party's tenure.

"There is nothing wrong in aspiring to be a Minister, but whether to expand the cabinet or to do anything else in this regard, it is for the high command to decide. It is not us who will decide," he said in response to a question on the possibility of the exercise and several legislators aspiring to become a Minister.

Government Chief Whip in the Legislative Assembly, Ashok Pattan had recently claimed that a cabinet reshuffle was on cards and counted himself as a ministerial aspirant.

The MLA from Ramdurg had said AICC general secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and K C Venugopal have assured him that there will be a Cabinet reshuffle after two-and-a-half years, in which senior leaders like him will be accommodated.

Making a case for himself to become a minister, Shantinagar MLA N A Haris too has said, "Not tomorrow, I should have become a minister yesterday. I am qualified for it."

Responding to a question on opposition BJP calling his administration "ATM government" and accusing it of corruption through "collection", Siddaramaiah denied the charge and termed it 'false.'

Accusing BJP of 'operation lotus', he said, "where did they get the money from? They have made Karnataka bankrupt, who is responsible? They did not generate power in the state and are responsible for the power crisis in the state. What moral right do they have?"

'Operation Lotus' is a reference to the BJP allegedly luring several opposition MLAs to defect to ensure stability of its then government headed by B S Yediyurappa in 2008.

Seeking to know what the BJP has done for the state while in power, the CM claimed the principal opposition party led the state into bankruptcy and pushed the state into debt.

"Despite not having funds, they issued work orders, called for tenders, and kept bills pending, before leaving power. There are about Rs 30,000 crore pending bills. Who is responsible for this? Was such a thing there during our tenure earlier-- let them say. I'm ready to present a white paper on the financial position of the state during ours and BJP's tenure in the assembly," Siddaramaiah said.

The BJP, which has been "rejected" by the people, are making 'politically motivated' allegations against Congress government, he said, adding that the ruling party has never misused any funds or indulged in any wrong deeds, as being alleged, to fund the party for elections in five states.