Bangalore: Shobha Pained by Dhananjaya Kumar's Expulsion from BJP
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Oct 17: Sharply reacting to the expulsion of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s staunch supporter V Dhananjaya Kumar, whose service as the Karnataka’s Special Representative in Delhi had been terminated by the Jagadish Shettar regime recently, State Engergy Minister Shobha Karandlaje said she was deeply pained by the decision of the State BJP.
Kumar, a former Union minister and four-term MP from Mangalore, had been expelled from BJP on Tuesday for a period of six years allegedly for anti-party activities.
The State BJP General Secretary and chairman of party’s disciplinary action committee Raghunath Malkapure, had issued the expulsion order on Tuesday evening after receiving Dhananjaya Kumar’s reply in the afternoon to the show cause notice served on him recently, stating that the expulsion order was issued on the direction of State BJP President K S Eshwarappa
“I am pained by Kumar’s expulsion from the party,” Ms Karandlaje, another staunch loyalist of Yeddyurappa said pointing out that Kumar was a loyal to the party and worked for strengthening of the party for over three decades.
The Minister’s remarks come a day after the expulsion of Kumar from BJP for six years for his open outbursts against Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and the state leadership.
Recalling her support during the election campaign of Kumar in the 1980s and 1990s, she said “only time will provide answers to the present crisis in the BJP.”
Yet another Yeddyurappa loyalist, Excise Minister M P Renukacharya, at a separate news conference, said the Yeddyurappa was a mass leader and the party would face a major crisis if leaves the party during the election year.
Renukacharya, who is a staunch supporter of Yeddyurappa, said he became the minister in the government with the backing of former Chief Minister and that he was elected from Honnali constituency twice with support of the former chief minister.
The Excise Minister, however, was non committal about joining the party to be launched by Yeddyurppa in December.
“All discussion are going on in the constituency about next elections. I am sill in the BJP and in the Government,” he said.
State Will Face Power Shortage During Summer
With deficit rainfall during monsoon and decline in water level in hydel reservoirs, the State will face shortage of power during the coming summer months, Shobha said.
“It will be a challenge to meet the demand for power with steep fall in hydel power generation,” the Energy minister said.
With decrease in the water levels in the Linganamakki, Supa and Mani dams, there would be shortfall power generation compared to power generated last year.
The Linganamakki dam filled up to 70 per cent of its capacity while the water level at the Supa and Mani dams was around 61 and 71 per cent respectively. Water level in these reservoirs was more last year, she said.
Painting a grim picture of the likely power generation and supply situation during the summer months, the minister said barely 28 million units would be generated daily from hydel plants till December 28 to ensure availability of water for power generation during summer days.
All electricity supplying companies have been supplying single phase power from 6 pm to 6 am daily, she said.
Asked about the Karnataka High Court order directing the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd on recruitment of women as assistant linemen in the corporation, Ms Karandlaje said 30 per cent of the jobs would not be reserved for women.
As it was difficult for women to do linemen works, the department would appoint a few number of candidates for the posts, she said.
The department has invited applications for recruitment of 2,000 candidates for linemen posts.
Justice H N Nagamohan Das, in his verdict, directed the KPTCL to permit those candidates who had obtained three-year vocational training certificates in electrician/lineman courses conducted by its (KPTCL) Industrial Training Centre (ITC) which was shutdown in 2005, to apply for linemen vacancies.
The minister said the department has recruited 292 engineers of various cadres. Equal weightage was given for both written examination and BE/Diploma degree marks.