Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday directed all ministers in his Cabinet to ensure their presence during the proceedings of both Houses of the state legislature.
The instruction was issued during a meeting with Congress members of the Legislative Council in Bengaluru on March 11, where several ministers reportedly faced criticism from party legislators.
Siddaramaiah urged the ministers to attend the sessions of both the Assembly and the Council regularly, and called on legislators from both Houses to actively participate in the proceedings.
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The Chief Minister’s directive came after several Congress MLAs complained that some ministers were often unavailable and frequently absent during Assembly sessions. A few legislators even warned that if the situation continued, they would be forced to raise the matter publicly.
During the meeting, a heated exchange was also reported between MLA S N Narayanaswamy and MLA T D Rajegowda. The disagreement arose over allegations that IAS officers were ignoring the directions given by elected representatives. Narayanaswamy reportedly walked out of the meeting following the argument.
Speaking about the state budget, Siddaramaiah said it had been prepared with careful consideration and that increased allocations had been provided to all departments.
“Although the expected financial assistance from the Centre has not been received, the state’s financial position remains stable,” he said.
The Chief Minister also asked party leaders to take on the BJP over the ongoing LPG crisis during the Assembly session.
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