Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that his much awaited cabinet expansion was on the cards on Friday, setting off intense speculation that he will induct veteran H.M. Revanna, (who like Mr Siddaramaiah is a fellow Kuruba), R.B. Thimmapur and a novice, Geetha Mahadevaprasad who won the hard fought Gundlupet assembly by-poll recently. The function will be held at Raj Bhavan on Friday evening. Mr Thimmapur and Mr Revanna are from the Legislative Council.
Mr Siddaramaiah seems to have taken a calculated risk in zeroing in on Mr Thimmapur who is from the SC left (untouchable group). Party leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwara had reportedly opposed Mr Thimmapur's induction into the cabinet. Mr Siddaramaiah however, decided to stay with his choice of Mr.Thimappur on two counts. One, to drive home that he called the shots on cabinet expansion and not Mr Kharge and Dr Parameshwara. Two, the 'SC left' are perceived to be with the BJP and by inducting a 'SC left' leader from Hyderabad Karnataka, Mr Siddaramaiah could bring voters from that community into the party fold. However with Mr Thimmapur's name now linked to the TA and DA scam, Mr Siddaramaiah may have to defend him his choice.
Mrs Mahadevaprasad's induction may be a direct fallout of Mr Siddaramaiah's promise to Gundlupete voters during the by-poll campaign that he would consider inducting her into the cabinet. However insiders said that it was also linked to developments in his Varuna constituency, where there is a strong Lingayat vote bank whom he could win over through this mov. Mrs Mahadevaprasad is a Lingayat. Party insiders feel that the Mysuru belt where the Lingayats are closely knit, could back Mr Siddaramaiah who is planning to field his son, Dr Yathindra from Varuna.
Mr Revanna has been waiting in the wings for very long time. Since the slot was open after H.Y. Meti's unceremonious exit, Mr Siddaramaiah decided to bring his close friend into the cabinet. Mr Revanna is likely to be elevated to the post of House leader in the Legislative Council which has been lying vacant after Dr Parameshwara's exit.
