Congress to Hold Fresh Talks on Karnataka Board and Corporation Posts
Congress leaders will resume discussions on appointments to Karnataka boards and corporations next week, with lobbying also intensifying for five vacant MLC seats.
The Congress leadership is set to take up the long-pending question of appointments to Karnataka's boards and corporations once again, with senior party figures expected to hold another round of discussions in Delhi next week.
The matter has drawn mounting pressure from legislators and party leaders who are seeking positions as heads of these bodies. On Thursday night, the party's general secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, met Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar along with a group of legislators to deliberate on the issue.
Sources indicated that around 25 legislators took part in Thursday's meeting. A tentative picture has begun to emerge, with roughly 10 to 12 incumbent chairpersons of boards and corporations likely to be retained while new faces are brought in.
The discussions in Delhi are expected to coincide with the Chief Minister's visit to the capital for a Congress Working Committee meeting. The same round of talks is also likely to cover the two vacancies that remain in the state Cabinet.
Separately, competition has sharpened over the five nominated seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council, which are lying vacant. According to party sources, the field includes both former Council members and first-time aspirants. There is also a proposal to give representation to the ST community and the Lambani community in this round of nominations.