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
We pray to ALLAH, for your quick recovery
May ALLAH Help you
All the best Mr. Bava!
Bawa ka Eer daane mool?
Yaan moole Yereg aauwuye kiri kiri Car d popina
Mool ragaale ijji selfie geppuni jappuni hahaha.......
Whatever may people say.... Mr. Moideen Bava is able bring a lot of money from state govt or central govt. to his region...and works are in progress. I am not aware of much in politics, but Bava's smiling Photos we can see everywhere (especially in Krishnapura)...and he is a happy man. His smiling face even in the hospital is some thing explains what is \Moideen Bava\". I pray for a speedy recovery. Let him learn more and take interest in helping all poor people of his region whatever may be their religion (Hindu, Muslim, Christian....all.)"
KEEP HOPE ON ALMIGHTY AND HE WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ALL OBSTACLES AND HINDRANCES BY PROVDINDG SERVICES TO THE PEOPLE HONESTLY.
WISH U SPEEDY RECOVERY.
Oh we can see comments from tolerant guys here..
We wish you a speedy recovery bhai.. May Allah protect you and all muslims from all evils.
our prayer are with u MR Bava u have done very good work for surathkal blessing from poor people is always with u
GET WELL SOON
Moideen Bava a Great Personality !!!!!!!!!!! u got 100 crores people blessing.
all goes well, praying for u always.
get well soon bava ji...
our MLA moideen bava we are proud to have u here in our constituency. we expect more good work from your side, for that u have to be healthy and smart. praying always for u, get well soon, will try to visit hospital.
Big Fraud !!!!!!
nobody can do anything to bava as far as we are there, look like bjp is jelousy on bava, may be their is hand behind of this incident
Really sad to hear this, get well soon bava we are with u, u have done very good development work in our locality. we are always kind to u.
ohhh really tragic incident look at the car... praying for speedy recovery of bava kaka.
just missed !!! next time bava be careful :).
ohh bava!!! allah is always with u... people's dua will save u always from all the incidents, keep the good work up, Please careful next time, change the driver soon,
our prayers are with u bava, u have done very good work in surathkal locality, poor people's blessing is always with u, get well soon
Avoid Hitting a pedestrian, pedestrian kathe govinda.
Rash driving caused this accident, Moideen Bava Should be charged.
Add new comment