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Bangalore, Jun 10: Five independent MLAs supporting the BS Yeddyurappa government have again expressed displeasure over the allocation of portfolios.
This time, they were also unhappy about not being made district-in-charge ministers.
Textile Minister Goolihatti Shekhar and Agriculture Produce Marketing Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi have openly expressed their displeasure at a meeting at a hotel in Bangalore.
Interestingly, the meeting was attended by Congress leader DK Shiva Kumar, and promtly gave jitters to the BJP.
The Chief Minister immediately swung into damage control mode and held a meeting with a few disgruntled ministers in the presence of BJP national general secretary HN Ananth Kumar.
Speaking to the Express, the disgruntled ministers alleged that the Chief Minister had been treating them indifferently vis-a-vis BJP Ministers in the Cabinet.
"He is not consulting us on any issue and treating us like step-sons. They should realise that they are in power because of our support," one of them told this paper.
Another minister alleged that Yeddyurappa had not kept his word. "We did not go to them; they came to us and sought our support with an assurance of a bright future. Now Yeddyurappa is not even available to hear us express our grievances," he alleged.
They accused the Chief Minister of not consulting them while alloting portfolios and alleged that he had given the those depart ments that were either rejected or not considered by BJP ministers.
According to them, they were assured key portfolios like Social Welfare (Narendraswamy), Water Resources (Venkataramanappa), Mines (Goolihatti Shekhar), Health and Family Welfare (D Sudhakar) and Transport (Shivaraj Tangadagi).
Even on the appointment of district ministers, these independent legislators were not too pleased.
"They do not have any members in our district, even then a BJP minister has been placed in charge of the district," they said.
Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa has said that portfolios had been allocated as per the directions of the party high command.
Minister for Woman and Child Welfare PM Narendra Swamy said that he would convey the feelings of people of his district (Mandya) to the Chief Minister.
He, however, ruled out rebelling against the Chief Minister.