The Congress on Saturday faced the heat of discontent with supporters of leaders who failed to make it to Siddaramaiah’s ministry, venting their anger in many parts of the State.
Supporters of senior leader D K Shivakumar and Arakalgud MLA A Manju protested in front of the Raj Bhavan at the time of the swearing-in of the ministers. Hundreds of supporters of the two leaders shouted slogans and demanded that the party high command should accommodate them in the ministry.
Shivakumar’s supporters later staged a protest in front of former chief minister S M Krishna’s residence at Sadashivanagar.
A supporter of Shivakumar attempted to immolate himself by dousing himself with kerosene in front of Krishna’s residence, demanding his intervention to include Shivakumar in the ministry. But, the police intervened and prevented the man from taking the extreme step.
Shivakumar, according to his close aides, was in Delhi on Saturday, lobbying for a ministerial berth. He was left out of the ministry as he has been facing charges of corruption.
Similarly, supporters of four-time MLA from Gauribidanur N H Shivashankara Reddy staged a protest in front of union minister M Veerappa Moily’s residence in Dollar’s Colony.
Prominent among other senior leaders who missed the bus are KPCC chief G Parameshwara, R Roshan Baig, Dr A B Maalakaraddy, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council S R Patil and Motamma.
Parameshwara, who lost the election from Koratagere in Tumkur, had demanded that he should be made deputy chief minister, but the party high command turned down his request. He attended the swearing-in ceremony for a while, while Baig abstained from the event.
Mining baron Anil Lad, who was aspiring for a berth in the ministry, has threatened to resign as Bellary city MLA.
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said the ministry has been formed as per the party high command’s decision. Ministers have been selected to give representation to all regions and ensure social justice. The party has not done injustice to any section, he added.
DKS meets Sonia
Ignored in Cabinet formation, Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Saturday met party president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi and pleaded innocence of the alleged charges against him.
“I met the party president to inform her of the injustice done to me. I have not done anything wrong. I have submitted necessary documents in this regard and she said, she will look into the issue. I am confident that I will get justice,” the Kanakapura MLA told Deccan Herald after the meeting.
The Supreme Court had recently asked the Central Empowered Committee to look into an NGO’s plea seeking CBI probe against Shivakumar, his brother D K Suresh and nine other mining companies in connection with the illegal iron ore mining case. Also, the Karnataka Lokayukta police recently took up a case of alleged land denotification against him.
