No question of compromising on self-respect, says Sait

Mysuru: With speculation mounting over a possible reshuffle of the State Cabinet, three senior Congress leaders from the Mysuru region, former Ministers Tanveer Sait, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa and K. Venkatesh, held a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Nazarbad this noon.

The meeting, which lasted more than an hour, has triggered fresh political speculation over Cabinet representation for the Mysuru region.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of recent statements by CM D.K. Shivakumar on restructuring the State Cabinet after the ongoing Legislature session, with indications of inducting new faces and dropping some of the existing Ministers.

None of the three leaders currently hold a ministerial position. Their meeting has, therefore, set political circles buzzing, particularly at a time when several aspirants are stepping up efforts to secure Cabinet berths.

Tanveer Sait, the senior Congress MLA from Narasimharaja Constituency, has been at the centre of a campaign by his supporters seeking his induction into the Ministry. His supporters have been staging protests demanding a Cabinet berth for the six-term MLA.

Dr. Mahadevappa, another senior Congress leader from the region, is also among those whose supporters have been lobbying for his induction. His backers have been highlighting his experience and position as a prominent Dalit leader.

K. Venkatesh, a senior Congress leader and former Minister, is also being projected as a strong contender, with his supporters citing his administrative experience and long association with the party.

Declining representation for Mysuru

After the meeting, the leaders expressed frustration over what they described as the declining representation of the Mysuru region in the State Cabinet.

“Earlier, Mysuru had two Ministers and even a Chief Minister, but today there is only one Minister representing the district,” Sait said, explaining the primary reason for convening the meeting.

Sait said that while they were open to dialogue, they would not compromise on their self-respect or remain silent. Clarifying his stance on political mentorship, he said he relied on faith rather than political “godfathers”. He also voiced strong dissatisfaction over the present situation and asserted that it needs to be rectified.

Dr. Mahadevappa maintained a neutral stance on the ongoing developments, stating that he had “no political reaction” to offer at the moment. Venkatesh clarified that the meeting was not convened as part of any political conspiracy, but was to discuss the decline in political representation of Mysuru.

The leaders said they had neither met nor discussed the issue with former CM Siddaramaiah yet, but indicated that discussions on their future course of action would continue.