Bangalore: Ministry Aspirants Storm CM's 'Janata Darshan'

Bangalore, Oct 20 (DC): Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa endured for a few hours on Tuesday what his predecessor, H.D. Kumaraswamy did when he was in power, regularly holding a weekly Janata Darshan, to hear and provide redressal to poor people’s woes.

But the Tuesday affair became a political darshan. At least three BJP loyal MLAs brought a large section of their supporters. They in turn demanded their leaders be made a Cabinet minister. BJP MLC from Kolar D.S. Veeraiah brought the most number of followers. His ire was that he belongs to the right-wing of the oppressed section and the Cabinet was not represented by that section. Among other Dalits he brought for his cause included sexual minorities.

The approach of Appachu Ranjan, legislator from Virajpet, was novel. Some of his followers brought in a tray of flowers as special prasadam from Bhaghamandala, the fount of the Cauvery river, and several little bottles containing Cauvery river water, which burst out from its birthplace during Theerthodhbhava which occurred few days ago. Ranjan’s supporters said first they would offer the special prasadam to Yeddyurappa as a blessing from Cauvery goddess for winning not one but two trust votes and then demand a Cabinet berth for their leader.

Manohar Maski from Raichur, another BJP loyalist also brought in several hundred supporters on Monday itself, staging a dharna before the CM’s residence.

When he heard that there was a Janata Darshan on Tuesday, they stayed back and assembled in large numbers in front of Krishna, CM’s home office.

But when the police officers informed Mr Yeddyurappa that there were more political aspirants than genuine poor seeking redressal in the Janata Darshan, he, perhaps, deliberately delayed arriving at the home office preferring to stay back at his residence on Race Course Road.

He had also had to meet RSS leaders about the proposed Cabinet expansion. He himself had a tough job on hand as he had to provide proper representation to rebels who are upset at being ignored. Back at Krishna, the verve of the MLA supporters began to wane as they had to wait for more than four hours to meet Yeddyurappa. By then they were briefed by the people in the know that loyal legislators had only a thin chance as Yeddyurappa had to accommodate the rebels as appeasement.

There were genuine poor seeking redressal like Ms Shingavva, from Shiggao, who wanted money to get the legs of her son amputed. But then hers was a hopeless case as she just disappeared among the huge supporters of legislators who wanted different kind of redressal from the CM.