Bangalore: Ministry Expansion - Loyalists Raise Banner of Revolt
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Aug 12: The realization that the long-time loyalists of BJP continue to be sidelined in ministry formation to the advantage of recent entrants, has created lot of heartburn within the party circles. The swearing-in of five new ministers on Thursday has only added fuel to the unhappiness razing within.
The contributions made by those who have been identified with the BJP since the last several decades, and who toiled hard to build the party in the state, continue to be overlooked, a number of party loyalists rue. The fact that the newly inducted ministers, Balachandra Jarkiholi, Anand Asnotikar, Raju Gowda and C P Yogeshwar, had recently crossed over to the party, and also that the other minister, Varthur Prakash, is a first time independent MLA, has given rise to a question as to whether being a party loyalist is a curse. It cannot, however, be denied that these leaders had lent a semblance of stability and credibility to the state government at its time of crisis.
Varthur Prakash, who minces no words when it comes to criticizing others, has passed severe comments in the past against Yeddyurappa, and had remained loyal to Congress leader, Siddaramaiah, even after deciding to support the BJP government. At one point of time, he had charged the BJP government of being the most corrupt in the country. He has been given the post of the minister to keep the promise made by Yeddyurappa at a time when his government’s survival was doubtful.
At the same time, Raju Gowda, Asnotikar, and Jarkiholi had revolted against Yeddyurappa in October 2010. They had been disqualified by the assembly speaker, but had later returned to the party fold after the Supreme Court reversed the speaker’s verdict.
Chikmagalur MLA, C T Ravi, is furious too. He has been in the list of ministerial aspirants since 2008. It is said that he has sent in his resignation for his assembly membership. BJP leaders of Kolar district, who are staunch followers of former minister, S N Krishnaiah Shetty, are livid at accommodating Varthur Prakash from the district, whom they detest. They have threatened to resign en masse by the end of this month, unless justice is done to their leader. Harihar MLA, B P Harish, has also been critical of the party for accommodating V Somanna, who is says, is scam-tainted.
The list of other disgruntled party loyalists includes D N Jeevaraj, Appu Pattnashetty, Shankaralinge Gowda, Sogadu Shivanna, S K Bellubbi, Aravind Limbavali, and Appachchu Ranjan, all of whom have stayed with the party since decades, and were nursing the ambition of making it to the cabinet. The party’s compulsions in allotting cabinet berths to ‘outsiders’ like B N Bachche Gowda, Basavaraj Bommai, C M Udasi, Govind Karjol, V Somanna, Lakshman Savadi and Umesh Katti, has become a fact that is hard to digest for BJP loyalists, who have decided to revolt. While a few of them will most probably get the ministerial berths in the next expansion, several will be left alone to lick their wounds.
These persons may complain to the central leadership, or resign from their posts, it is being analyzed. We may have to wait and watch whether the party will be able to retain their loyalties by offering posts of the heads of boards and corporations. This is a question that has an answer only in the future.