‘Tainted’ MLAs Shivakumar,Baig made ministers

CM Siddaramaiah had resisted their induction for days but had to finally give in considering Congress exigencies – winning the support of the dominant Vokkaliga community in south Karnataka and keeping the faith of the minorities before the Lok Sabha polls this year.

In a move widely seen as a tactic to block Shivakumar and Baig from entering the Cabinet,he had only a month ago obtained the resignation Santosh Lad from the council of ministers on the ground that his company was being probed in the illegal mining scam.

Shivakumar,51,a six-time MLA,former minister and Congress working president,and Baig,60,also a six-time MLA,had lobbied hard for berths in the Cabinet.

The induction of Shivakumar,a supporter of senior Congress leader S M Krishna,was expected after he ensured a thumping victory for the Congress in a bypoll to the Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency in August. But Siddaramaiah,who perceives Shivakumar as a political threat,kept delaying Cabinet expansion for four months.

With LS polls approaching,Shivakumar and Baig intensified efforts to get into the Cabinet and the Congress high command was forced to direct an expansion despite the argument that this would trigger protests from activists against inclusion of “tainted” legislators. The two got an opening when Siddaramaiah appointed a “tainted” engineer belonging to his Kuruba community secretary in the public works department months ago.

“Shivakumar has got a stay in all cases against him. What is wrong in inducting him? There is just a private complaint against Baig,” the CM said. He denied pressure to induct them and said the Cabinet was expanded in consultation with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The Cabinet strength now stands at 31,with three vacancies.