Ex-minister lobbies for berth in Ministry using minority tag

B D Narayankar

Press Trust of India

Bangalore, Aug 22: Lobbying for induction into the BJP Ministry led by Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, former Wakf Minister Mumtaz Ali Khan today said his community would be disappointed if he was not taken into the ministry.

"Definitely,the Muslim community will be disappointed if I am not inducted into the ministry. They are already worried and are raising their pitch for my inclusion," Khan, a minister in the previous B S Yeddyurappa ministry, told reporters here.

BJP leadership has to take a decision to include him into the ministry as it cannot afford to neglect the sentiments of Muslim community, he said.

"I am confident I will get through in the third list of cabinet ministers," he added. After two rounds of Cabinet expansion, the Gowda cabinet's strength is at 27, leaving seven more berths to be filled as Karnataka is entitled for a 34-member ministry as per the constitutional norm.

The next round of ministry expansion is reportedly delayed due to long list of aspirants.

Links

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5383874

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/exminister-lobbies-for-berth-in-ministry-using-minority-tag/796570.html

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/185475/ex-minister-lobbies-berth-karnataka.html