MB Patil and other Congress MLAs in huddle; Baig, Reddy supporters protest at KPCC

Supporters of Congress MLAs Ramalinga Reddy and Roshan Baig protested demanding ministerial berth for their leaders in Karnataka Cabinet in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Both Ramalinga Reddy and Roshan Baig were ministers in Siddaramaiah's Cabinet. Ramalinga Reddy was Transport Minister and later held Home Ministry in the second round of Cabinet expansion. Roshan Baig was Minister for Infrastructure, Urban Development, Information and Haj in the Congress government.

The senior ministers are reportedly miffed the party leadership for not inducting them in the Congress-JDS coalition government.

It may be recalled that after a group of Muslim organisation insisted that seven-time Congress MLA from Shivajinagar Roshan Baig should be made the deputy chief minister in the new government of Karnataka, the latter said that he does not find any problem in the demand. However, Zameer Ahmed and UT Khader have been inducted into the Cabinet under minority quota.

Meanwhile, Dr Sudarshan and Satish Jarkiholi are in huddle at MB Patil's residence to decide on the next course of action. MB Patil was hopeful to get ministerial berth till the last moment. On the other hand, Satish Jarkiholi's brother Ramesh Jarkiholi was given a berth in the Cabinet.

Speaking to a TV channel after the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers, MB Patil, said, " I will call on Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM G Parameshwara to know about why I was not included in the Cabinet."