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BJP questions conferment of minister ranks
The state government's decision to grant ministerial ranks to 149 Congress leaders has faced backlash for fiscal strain and alleged misuse of public funds.
The state government’s decision to confer cabinet or minister of state rank on a large number of ruling party leaders has drawn criticism from the opposition.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, R Ashoka, accused the government of putting the state under fiscal stress by extending ministerial status to 149 Congress leaders, including legislators and heads of boards and corporations. The move was to cost nearly ₹50 crore a year due to the privileges attached to the ranks, he claimed.
“Siddaramaiah, the most weak and inefficient chief minister the state has ever seen, is distributing ministerial positions to save his chair and is wasting public money for his selfish interests. How long will this shameless rule continue?” he said.
Ashoka also noted that ministerial ranks were conferred more leaders than the Congress’s entire legislative strength in the state. He alleged that the move amounted to misuse of public money, even as the state’s developmental needs remained unmet. Several development corporations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes were struggling for funds while the state coffers went into furnishing official vehicles, staff salaries and transport facilities for chairpersons, he claimed..
He also alleged delays in disbursal under welfare schemes, saying beneficiaries of Gruha Lakhsmi had not been paid for two months and those under Anna Bhagya for one month. “Money is being given for the fun and frolic of the Congress,” he said.
N Ravikumar, BJP leader and chief whip in the legislative council, also criticised the move, echoing Ashoka’s concerns.
“Some of them are MLAs, some are not. Whoever complained that they did not get cabinet ranks, to appease them, the state government has given them the status. Whose money are they spending on it? It’s the people’s tax money. How can they do this?” Ravikumar said.
He demanded that the chief minister publish a full list of those given cabinet rank and disclose the expenditure involved. “There is no development in the state. Bengaluru has turned into a pothole city. Funds are not being given to MLAs for development, but they are spending people’s tax money to appease some individuals,” he added.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar defended the appointments, describing them as recognition for party workers. He said the decision was about acknowledging those who helped bring the party to power and pushed back against the opposition’s criticism by questioning the previous BJP government’s record.
“They have got us to power, they will get power. It’s about status. More will get it,” he said.
According to government details, 149 people have been granted cabinet or minister of state rank so far. This includes 32 constitutionally appointed cabinet ministers, 43 MLAs given cabinet rank as chairpersons of boards and corporations, and 11 MLAs accorded minister of state status as heads of smaller corporations.
Among non-MLAs, nine advisers and special representatives have been given cabinet rank, while 54 Congress leaders and workers have received minister of state status. Recently, 54 more heads of boards and corporations were granted minister of state rank.
