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
MLA Shakuntala Shetty was in RSS and was BJP MLA for a long time. Her blood is contaminated with RSS/BJP venom and still it survived with her. That's the reason she opposes AB Ibrahim name in the invitation letter, that was diktat of VHP/RSS of Puttur. As an Administrator for Mahabaleshwar Temple, DC name has come. No fault with AB Ibrahim.
I remember, some years back, there was rift in Jamiya Masjid, Udipi, that case was before the High Court of Karnataka. High court of Karnataka issued interim order, appointed Mr. Ashwat Narayan Gowda, ASST. Commissioner of Kundapur Revenue Department as an administrator for this institution. The Wakf Board, and two parties of Jamath did not objected for this appointment, adhered to the court order.
I think DC must stay away from this event, to avoid any un-precedent incident may take by the Saffron Goons. These people have no respect for law and order.
Al Hamdulliah, Mr. Ibrahim, Praise Allah, who protected & skipped you from doing a great sin(sHIRK). All Muslims themselves away such type shirk celebrations.
May Allah Guide us on right path.
Al Hamdulliah, Mr. Ibrahim, do not be sad, you praise Allah, who (Allah) saved you through rival group, away from commiting a biggest sin (Shirk). Muslims should not participate any shirk events. May Allah guied us on right path and protect from any shirk.
It shows how people disrespect the guest.\Atiti Devo Bhava\" preaching religion did 'U' turn. Why did they invite him? I request DC not to attend such non sense festival and waste time. Instead spend more on the sensible works. God bless you."
It shows how people disrespect the guest.\Atiti Devo Bhava\" preaching religion did 'U' turn. Why did they invite him? I request DC not to attend such non sense festival and waste time. Instead spend more on the sensible works. God bless you."
Mr.RAI
You are already Succumbed to VHP after Elected ....as you didnt arrest Kalladka Bhat
Inside chaddi and outside congress....not good...camouflaged.
District Congress leaders started making drama now! I don't think that she need some pressure from VHP to do so! Why only Shakuntala Shetty? There are many in the party having such a dirty communal mindset! Who suffered loss in this game? Not DC Ibrahim. Congress party's true color exposed.
If Congress Party does not take any action about Saku akka, next election we will remove her and choose One of the Great Puttur Secular Congress Leader Hemnatha Shetty kavo, also we r all congress member under to go Hemantha Shetty leadership....
for not only he s muslim, it may be other reason also.
Mr. Rai..let sukka shetty remove his name for god sake. Leave that gentle man alone he is doing some good work for D.K. Nowdays human being of smart city just needs a reason to stage a protest. nowdays no news so they got DC in news.. All knows she is under sanghy mind so she will do wat her sangas teach her.. ITs better to remove his name and be happy.
Kalandar why remove Shakuntala sheety? Rai is also hindu, he also know temple law... Congress is only playing in this issue, you people are also blindly this congress, wait and you will see what happened is.
Please invite Mr.Mujahid Balusheri so that he can teach what Islaam is ?What will be their fate life after death? why idol worship is not allowed etc.. to the Innocent people of Puttur. Rather inviting D.C. Mainly we support the Ms.Shetty for her proposal of removing D.C Name bec of her D.C is saved from SIN. Alhumdulillah.
Mr Rai please remove her from Congress party, she is not secular MLA,
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