K'taka Cong leaders call for meeting over portfolio allocation

Disappointed over the portfolio allocation in the state assembly, senior Karnataka Congress leaders and several other party MLAs have called for a meeting on Tuesday here, to discuss the issue.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader HK Patil said the party workers are unhappy with the allocation of the Cabinet portfolio and added that he will discuss the issue with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"Our workers are unhappy and protesting, under these circumstances how can one be happy?...I will take up their feelings to high command and convey what they told me," Patil said.

In the recent portfolio allocation, the Congress was given charge of 22 ministries, including home, irrigation, health, agriculture and women and child welfare ministries; while 12 ministries, including finance and excise, public works department, education, tourism and transport ministries were allocated to the Janata Dal (Secular).

On June 7, Congress party workers protested as expectant candidates Roshan Baig and Ramalinga Reddy were not given ministerial berths.

Apart from Baig and Reddy, the expectant candidates from the Congress party who were dropped from the cabinet include M.B. Patil, Dinesh Gundu Rao, H.K. Patil, Shyamnur Shivashankarappa, Tanvir Sait, Satish Jarkhiholi, N.A. Harris, Dr Sudhakar, Rahim Khan, Bhyrati Basavaraju, S. Shivalli, Satish Jarakiholi, Eshwar Khandre and M.T.B. Nagaraj.