Bengaluru, Feb 27: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has again kindled hope for several ministerial aspirants by suggesting he will expand his council of ministers in April. A dozen senior BJP legislators are aspiring for ministerial berths, but there are only six vacancies in Yediyurappa’s cabinet.
However, Yediyurappa suggested on Tuesday he will fill only three spots, one of which would go to Hukkeri legislator Umesh Katti. With this, lobbying has intensified for the two remaining berths as the expansion exercise is expected soon after the budget session that ends on March 29.
The aspirants include Murugesh Nirani, S Angara, Appachhu Ranjan, SA Ramdas, Aravind Limbavali, Narasimha Nayak and GH Thippareddy besides others.
Yediyurappa, it is being said, is keen on inducting Katti and Limbavali since they are close to him. He will leave the decision on choosing legislators for the remaining two berths to the party’s central leadership.
On more than one occasion in the past, Yediyurappa has publicly stated that his wish is to induct Katti, a former minister, into the cabinet. In fact, the CM had wanted to induct Katti in the previous expansion that took place last month, but dropped the idea at the last minute due to pressure from party bosses.
The CM is also under pressure to induct Athani legislator Mahesh Kumatalli, who was among 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs who resigned to help the saffron party form the government. Several BJP MLAs and Lingayat seers have been piling pressure on Yediyurappa to make Kumatalli a minister as promised.
Kumatalli was denied a cabinet berth only to accommodate Katti. Both are Lingayats and from Belagavi district. As the Lingayat community already has a lion’s share in cabinet berths, the CM cannot afford to induct both.
Nirani, who has been leaving no stone unturned to secure a spot, reiterated his wish to become minister, but insisted he will not lobby for the post.
Yediyurappa has been upset with Nirani for lobbying for a berth through Panchamasali Mutt seer Vachananand Swami. The former minister was also part of the team of alleged disgruntled MLAs which met Jagadish Shettar at his residence to put pressure on the CM for cabinet berths.
However, while expressing confidence of being made minister when Yediyurappa’s expands his cabinet next, Nirani said, “Yediyurappa is not upset with me. My relationship with him is that of father and son. He knows me and what I am.”
Comments
Unempolyment and farmer death are the issues gifted on us by the central BJP government from demonitisation and GST. Now our PM friends Donald trumps administration also accepted that due to this two isssues Indias growth has been slow for more then a year now.
Unemployment of whom ? Siddaramaiah claims 15 lakhs jobs have been created but has yedduyurappa the guts to ask how many native Kannadigas got the job ?
Regarding cauvery why he did not even open his mouth on SC judgment .
Was there a gag order from Delhi high command. He did not have guts to even welcome the judgment. Probably he knows it was outright injustice to Karnataka but he is helpless and is concerned about his career ! Of course Cong & JD-S also did not have the guts.
Regarding atrocities on women nothing prevents Modi govt. making stringent laws and Karnataka will definitely welcome it. But Modi is too busy with "Man ki bath " , Foreign tours. All he knows is vandemataram & Yoga and of course mudslinging on congress which anyway it rightly deserves.
So native Kannadigas reject the three parties BJP, Cong & Jd-S and
and bring a Kannada party to power or follow the crowd like fools
and dig your own grave. Ignore all the posts of migrants & traitors .
No Unemployment and Farmers suicide in BJP ruled states.
infants,Mothers,Women,Girls, Pregnant women are being Raped, burnt and killed alive. and you are talking about women safety.
Protection of wives is also a key issue.
You said truth but a small correction needed. These are the key issues to highlight only for election..
Add new comment