‘Amit Shah phobia’ makes disgruntled Karnataka ministers fall in line

coastaldigest.com web desk
August 28, 2019

Bengaluru, Aug 28: Within a day signs of rebellion emerged within BJP in Karnataka over allocation of portfolios and ignoring seniors while picking three deputy chief ministers, all the disgruntled leaders fell in following a stern warning by Amit Shah, the invincible supremo of the saffron party.

Senior BJP leaders C T Ravi, Jagadish Shettar, R Ashok, K S Eshwarappa and B Sriramulu, were apparently upset over their juniors being elevated to higher posts. While Ravi was unhappy with the portfolio, the other four were disappointed for not getting the title of Deputy CM. Two Ministers - Ravi and Ashok - had reportedly returned their official cars in protest. Many are also yet to take charge in the ministries assigned to them.

Even though Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa spent time with most of them on Tuesday in an attempt to pacify them, it is said that it was the fear of Amit Shah’s looming “disciplinary measures” that made the disappointed ministers soften up with little choice left.

“It is the party’s Central leadership that has decided on the portfolios and Deputy CMs, and they are in no mood to change the decisions. The (State) leaders have no option but to take what they have got, perform and grow in the party, and move on — something they have also realised now,” a senior party strategist said.

Following Amit Shah’s warning Shettar took over as Industries Minister on Tuesday morning itself. Ashok, who has been assigned the Revenue Department, though yet to officially take charge, participated in a marathon meeting on flood damage in his ministerial capacity with the chief minister in the evening.

Ravi, who had reportedly offered to resign, tweeted that loyalty to the party was his biggest strength and weakness, and that he would never ditch it. Earlier in the day, he accompanied the Chief Minister during his inspection of flood-hit areas in Mudigere.

Sriramulu, whose supporters held protests over his not being made a Deputy Chief Minister, tweeted distancing himself from sporadic protests. “I condemn the protests against my party and I appeal to my supporters not to hold them. The party comes first for all BJP workers and I stand by all the decisions of my party,” he tweeted. Prior to that Sriramulu had met Yediyurappa at his residence and expressed his dissatisfaction over not being made a Deputy CM, especially as he had been promised the title during the 2018 Assembly election campaign.

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News Network
April 6,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 6: The Covid-19 Task Force aims to conduct 80,000 throat swab and blood tests over the next three weeks here.

According to Task Force Nodal Officer C N Manjunath an order for one lakh anti-body test kits has been placed, and was expected to arrive on April 12.

"From January 20 to March 23, more than 1.2 lakh people arrived at international airports from abroad. Of these, we have kept 37,358 under observation. The Health officials and personnel in fever clinics and hospitals are being trained to conduct the tests. There is no necessity to obtain a clearance to test people with suspected infection. Only laboratories need to get permission to test their blood and throat swab samples."

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News Network
February 10,2020

Belagavi, Feb 10: In comments that raised eyebrows, Ramesh Jarkiholi, who quit the Congress and joined the BJP and who took oath as minister last week, said his brother Satish has a bright future. The two siblings have rarely seen eye-to-eye — at least in public — in recent times.

He also trained his gun on Congress leader DK Shivakumar, sarcastically thanking the Congress MLA for his meteoric rise. “Had Shivakumar not stood against me, I would not have emerged as a tall leader in the state. I must thank him,” Ramesh said.

The Gokak MLA said Satish of the Congress, the most politically-savvy of the five Jarkiholi siblings, would reach “the top” in his political career. However, he advised him “to inculcate patience and adopt strategies”. “He should make his moves at the right time as timing is very important in politics,” Ramesh said.

He also urged Satish to keep his supporters happy. “Many of his followers are disappointed with his leadership because he does not extend a helping hand to his own people. In the present political climate, people do not endorse a leader who only talks about Buddha and Basava,” Ramesh said.

Ramesh took a dig at Lakan, the youngest sibling, saying, “Lakan speaks ill about me most of the time. He does not understand much. But we brothers are one when it comes to family. We are united when it comes to family matters, but when it comes to politics, we are at loggerheads.”

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News Network
June 16,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 16: A woman employee at the Vikasa Soudha, next to Vidhana Soudha, the State Secretariat, was tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Hence the authorities sealed the Food Department offices, which was in the ground floor of the building.

Employees of Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha were shocked after learning that one of their colleagues tested positive for the dreaded killer coronavirus.

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