New Delhi, DHNS: The Congress high command on Monday approved the names of 20 MLAs and 50 party workers for appointments to state-run boards and corporations.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi cleared the names proposed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC chief G Parameshwara and KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao.
Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara and Gundu Rao have been camping in the national capital since Sunday night.

Talks held

On Monday morning, the trio met AICC general-secretary Digvijaya Singh twice to discuss the names after Rahul had suggested a relook on the earlier list submitted to him in September.
After two rounds of discussions with Singh, all the leaders drove to Rahul’s 12, Tughlaq Lane residence to seek his approval, which was granted during the hour-long meeting.

A source in the Congress said as many as 20 MLAs and 50 party workers would soon receive their appointment orders from the state government.

The Congress is also learnt to have approved the nomination of three members to the Legislative Council.

Rahul’s concerns
For the appointments to boards and corporations, the state Congress leaders had submitted a list in September, but Rahul had flagged concerns as several ‘loyal’ party workers found no mention in it.

The party vice-president had asked the state Congress leaders to draw a list on the basis of a fixed criteria, which included the contribution of the nominees to the party,
positions held by them till now and the duration of their membership in the organisation.

Several senior leaders had conveyed their reservations to the earlier list submitted by the chief minister. They had accused Siddaramaiah of ignoring ‘loyal’ workers and accommodating his erstwhile colleagues from the JD(S) who had joined the Congress along with him.

Rahul appears to have ignored the apprehensions voiced by these leaders. The list cleared on Monday has 20 MLAs against the 25 legislators in the earlier list.