Bengaluru: Captain Ganesh Karnik, a senior spokesperson for the BJP, alleged on Monday that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is granting cabinet positions to 90 Congress leaders in a bid to “purchase” their loyalty.
Karnik highlighted the allocation of cabinet berths to around 77 Congress MLAs and four MLCs, alongside the appointment of nine advisors and pending positions like the chairman of the state poll guarantees committee.
“The allure of cabinet ranks, including staff, vehicles with police escorts, and generous salaries, is being used by Siddaramaiah to retain support from Congress MLAs,” Karnik claimed, emphasizing the Congress’s electoral strategy of promising freebies.
Karnik criticized the Siddaramaiah government’s focus on maintaining political unity through patronage appointments rather than addressing developmental challenges.
He further speculated on the fragility of the Siddaramaiah government, attributing its longevity to internal conflicts and suggesting that loyalty cannot be sustained through such appointments alone.