Bangalore: Jolt to BJP as two more ministers quit
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Feb 21: Less than a month after the resignation drama hit the BJP in January, the Shettar government received another jolt on Thursday February 21, as two more of its ministers quit the ministry as well as from the primary membership of the party.
Forest minister C P Yogeshwar, as expected, and small scale industries minister Raju Gowda tendered their resignations to chief minister Jagadish Shettar.
They will be travelling to Madikeri later in the afternoon to meet speaker Bopaiah and give their resignations from the assembly.
The CM has reportedly cancelled his meetings for the afternoon in the wake of the new development.
Speaking to media persons, Yogeshwar and Raju Gowda expressed their gratitude to the BJP and the Shettar government of which they had been part. When asked the reason for resigning, they chose not to comment.
C P Yogeshwar is expected to join Congress soon.
The two resignations heightened the weeks-long speculation that at least a dozen members of the Shettar cabinet would quit before the assembly polls, a majority of them wanting to join the Congress.
The others were said to be going to Janata Dal-Secular or Karnataka Janata Party headed by former BJP chief minister B S Yeddyurappa.
Welcoming the move, former chief minister and KJP chief B S Yeddyurappa said that it is clear signs of BJP's sinking ship. "BJP will not be in power for the next ten years," he said.
In January, Shobha Karandlaje and C M Udasi had quit the cabinet and the party, along with several MLAs amid high drama that lasted over a week. They later joined the KJP.
Sources said that more resignations may be expected from the BJP camp in the coming days.
Besides Yogeshwar and Raju Gowda, the BJP is about to lose two more assembly members, - Belur Gopalakrishna from Shimoga district, and H S Shankaralinge Gowda from Mysore.