Bengaluru: As many as 90 people, including 77 MLAs and nine non-legislators, have been granted cabinet rank by Karnataka’s Siddaramaiah govt since it took office nine months ago. Sources said such a contingent is, perhaps, the largest ever in Karnataka history.
With Congress scoring a big win in the May 2023 polls leading to claims from different sections, 77 of its 135 MLAs and four MLCs have been given the prestigious rank. These include chairpersons of boards and corporations, multiple advisors to CM and even chief whips of the governing and council.
Besides, nine members appointed advisors to the CM with the rank and status as cabinet ministers are members of neither of the Houses. They include Congress victory mastermind Sunil Kanugolu, CM’s medical adviser Dr H Ravikumar, former IAS officer and ‘Brand Bengaluru’ expert B S Patil and Dr Aarthi Krishna, vice-president of NRI Cell.
What does a cabinet-rank status entail? Apart from the inherent heft, they can hire as many as 14-member staff, get a car with a police escort and higher salary. However, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms officials suggest that none of the cabinet-rank legislators has higher salaries.