As the Congress leadership is involved in an outreach to disgruntled legislators after the Cabinet expansion, A.S. Ponnanna, Legal Adviser to former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has been appointed Political Secretary to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

With Mr. Ponnanna’s appointment, the Congress is likely to nominate Mankal Vaidya to the post of Deputy Speaker. Though Mr. Vaidya’s name was in the first list released by the Congress on the day of Cabinet expansion, mid-way he was replaced by S.S. Mallikarjun.

Similarly, R.V. Deshpande, among the senior most legislators in the Legislative Assembly and a Cabinet aspirant who could not make it, has been appointed Chairman of Administrative Reforms Committee. He had earlier led the ARC and has made two reports to the government. Sources said that it was part of an outreach to the Brahmin community after the Cabinet went without representation to the community.

Meanwhile, C. Narendra, a Mysuru-based party worker and a follower of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, has been appointed chairman of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Development Corporation. Party sources said that his appointment had been earlier stalled.