Shivamogga: A day ahead of the visit of newly appointed Shivamogga district minister KJ George to assess the rain deficit and ongoing drinking water shortage issue, former minister Madhu Bangarappa on Monday said his senior colleague is only a stop-gap arrangement.Speaking to reporters in Shivamogga, Madhu noted that George is currently serving as the caretaker for Shivamogga district, and will visit on Tuesday. When asked if he would get a ministerial berth, Madhu emphasised that he remains fully committed to whatever the party high command decides, asserting that the party organisation holds a higher priority for him than personal power.He said the state cabinet expansion is highly likely within the next 10 to 15 days, following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s return from abroad. He expressed deep disappointment over allegations concerning the misappropriation of Ram Mandir donations, accusing BJP of exploiting the temple’s name for political gain and stating it is a national tragedy when those claiming to be deeply righteous are linked to such fund misuse. He clarified that Congress is not against Lord Rama but, it firmly opposed the political misuse of his name.On the SIR, Madhu stated that Congress welcomes the process but argued targeting specific communities for political damage, as seen in West Bengal and Bihar, is wrong, noting that while dissent is healthy in a democracy, it must be pursued honestly rather than with malicious intent.
