Bengaluru, Feb 3: A wave of dissatisfaction has hit the six-month-old BJP government against the backdrop of chief minister B S Yediyurappa's announcement to induct 13 aspirants in the second cabinet expansion on February 6.
In the first cabinet expansion, the chief minister had inducted 17 ministers on August 20, 2019.
Among the 13, ten will be those defectors from Congress and the JD(S) who were disqualified earlier and won the assembly by-election in December last year.
The rest will be the 'native BJP leaders', as deputy chief minister Govind Karjol put it.
Speculations are rife that Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali, Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti and C P Yogeshwar, who had lost to H D Kumaraswamy from Channapatna assembly segment,would be inducted.
If Yogeshwar is included in the cabinet then he will bethe second minister after Deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi who had lost and yet made it to the cabinet.
The possible induction of Yogeshwar and Savadi, who was made deputy chief minister despite losing the assembly elections, are also a "reason" for discontent in the BJP.
Hectic activities began in the power corridor and MLAs started forming groups to impress upon the chief minister to include their members in the ministry.
While one group was from the "Kalyana Karnataka" region, the others were the defectors who will be excluded in the cabinet expansion.
A few MLAS from 'Kalyana Karnataka' region or erstwhile Hyderabad-Karnataka region comprising six districts, met at the Legislature Home and held a meeting.
The meeting was led by Shorapur MLA Narasimha Nayak akaRaju Gouda and Honnalli MLA M P Renukacharya.
The MLAs of the Kalyana Karnataka region were unanimous that their backward region should get representation in the cabinet.
Later, Gouda met the Chief Minister and requested that their region be given adequate representation in the cabinet, which is lacking development.
Talking to reporters, Gouda said, "We had given representations to all the MPs, MLAs and the chief minister. Today also we all had a meeting and later called on the Chief Minister requesting him to make any MLA from our region a minister."
He said any imbalance in cabinet expansion will cause trouble to the MLAs from Kalyana Karnataka region.
"If you make the defeated candidates ministers then include 120 people in the cabinet," an aggrieved Gouda taunted.
Renukacharya too echoed the same sentiments.
"If you give preference to the defeated candidates then what will happen to those who won the election? Where should the winners of election go? We emphasise upon giving preference to the winners."
On the other hand, the defectors who jumped the Congress and the JD(S) ship and helped form the BJP government too had a meeting in Bengaluru, said BJP sources.
They were unanimous that not only the 11 MLAs who won theelection be made ministers but also A H Vishwanath and M T BNagaraj who had unsuccessfully contested the assembly by- polls from Hunasuru and Hoskote on a BJP ticket.
Vishwanath, who was quite vocal on Sunday for dropping his name, was mellowed down on Monday after meeting Yediyurappa.
However, his insistence for getting a cabinet berth remained intact.
"I did not make any proposal before him and will not do it in future because he (Yediyurappa) knows what has to be done,"Vishwanath told reporters after meeting the chief minister.
When he was reminded of Yediyurappa's statement that therewere legal complications in making him a minister, Vishwanath said, "This government has legal experts and the advocate general. They will speak."
Amid speculations that Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli may not get a cabinet berth in the reshuffle, the defected MLAs led by Gokak BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, had a meeting to decide their future strategy, said party sources.
Currently, there are 18 ministers, including the chief minister, in the cabinet, which has a sanctioned strength of 34. Sixteen berths are vacant.
The cabinet expansion exercise will be a delicate task for Yediyurappa as he has to ensure adequate representation for various castes and regions.
The ministry already has eight Lingayats, including Yediyurappa; three Vokkaligas; a Brahmin; three SCs, two OBCs and one ST.
Opposition parties have been critical of the BJP and Yediyurappa over the delay in the cabinet expansion, alleging he is weak and his administration has collapsed.
Reacting to the cabinet expansion, former chief minister Siddaramaiah quipped, "A drama is taking place. Let it happen on February 6. Afterwards we will see what all happens."
Comments
Congratulations Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College for their Annual Day & a successful event.
We need to bring about unity within all the religions.
We should focus on educating our youth & children to become the leaders of tomorrow.
1 muslim MLA is equal to 100 vokkaligas MLAs. That is why they are scared to give many seats....
Blaming others no use. Our community should take interest to address this major issue by encouraging and supporting the students to join the civil service courses. Giving speech and words do not solve this issue. Congratulation Melkar Womes College management for imparting quality education for the rural female students.
The main problems here not only from Government side!! Muslims have to blame for this!! In Muslims community you can find enough qualified candidates for all those field which mentioned above, but Muslims men after graduating immediately applying for Gulf country, ladies they even for the secure job are not allowed to join, I discuss this matter with many my Muslim friends their opinion same. Muslim organization should bring awareness among their community in this matter, encourage ladies to do the job where they feel safe.
Nothing going to happen. What happened much published Sachar commission report??????
These so called leaders only talk talk talk, ..... the news and photographs appears in the newspaper. Their job finished. please
don't waste others time
We all Hindustanis should come forward please do not count your Religious wise! count Human being wise! my dear great leader, yes sir you are correct, but you said all good do not blame Government or any other Institutions, ask your community get it compete come forward, awake up your citizens.
Just we discuss about Dakshina Kannada District called (Mangalore) very popular district in Great Karnataka, my dear count population wise, Financial wise, you said community almost Top in Top, but Education Wise, Back to Back, could you please Equalize it How many Educational Institutions running your Community??
First up all get it Educated and Competitive then Compete it up and come forward, Very Good Example at Present DK, DC, just learn from him He came from where? how he reached in this position?
My dearest brothers do not blame any one, Blame yourself.
\Try and Try until Success\"
Jai Hindustan
Jai Our Moodi Ji."
Rightly Said Mr riyaz khan well done for your effort to take up this issue. will take up this issue and will fight for our rights in our society.
yes it s true Muslim's are getting less opportunity in SC, we have most talented and well eligible qualified persons in our community still no opportunity for us, India govt should Provide 75% govt seat to us.
Melkar College doing good job by calling guest as our most loved persons. Abdul Riyaz Khan, Abdul Rauf Puthige, SM Farooq, SM Rashid Haji. Most Precious Diamond of our community
well done sir Abdul Riyaz Khan, this people are like pearl of our community, always leading our community in front.
yahh its a major problem in india, Riyaz khan well done for raising voice against this discrimination. all muslim should get united and protest against this.
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