Mangaluru, Feb. 25 -- M Veerappa Moily on Wednesday strongly pitched for the inclusion of first-time legislators in the Karnataka cabinet, asserting that merit, not seniority or lobbying, should determine who becomes a minister.
Batting for newcomers amid growing internal discussions over a possible cabinet reshuffle, the senior Congress leader said it was morally untenable to deny opportunities to first-time MLAs solely on the ground of experience.
"We were all newcomers at one point. When I entered politics at the age of 22, D. Devaraj Urs was the Chief Minister. Even at that time, new faces were given opportunities," Moily told reporters here.
Stressing that elevation to ministerial office cannot be secured through pressure tactics, h...