Bangalore: Karandlaje, Defectors Give Sleepless Nights to Senior BJP Leaders
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Jul 12: The fact that about one fourth of the ministerial strength in the state is made up of independents and rank 'outsiders' who have gained entry into the BJP just now, has miffed a large number of senior legislators in the party. A group of disgruntled legislators is said to be planning to go to New Delhi and brief the national leaders on the developments taking place here, under which long-time loyalists have been sidelined to the benefit of newcomers. They are also nursing a grouse about the increasing clout of the mining lords and rural development and panchayatraj minister Shobha Karandlaje in the state's governance.
If some sources in the party are to be believed, even the chief minister has become helpless and is left with no other choice but to dance to the tunes of the mining magnets, who take decisions on their own and then thrust them upon the chief minister. The Bellary barons, who played a vital role in ensuring victory for the BJP in the state assembly elections by using their money power, are said to be acting like autocrats after they stabilized the rocking boat of the BJP which depended on the fragile support from the independent legislators who are not yet satisfied with the pound of flesh already offered to them, by poaching legislators belonging to the Congress and the JD (S).
Even the frontline leaders were not consulted in the recent expansion of the ministry. Suggestions made by seniors in the party to accommodate at least one of the disappointed BJP legislators at the time of expansion, were over-rided by the chief minister. Those who were hoping to become ministers have been frustrated, as the strength of the ministry has risen to 34, reaching the constitutionally specified cap. There are reports that leaders like Anant Kumar, R Ashok, Katta Subrahmanya Naidu, K S Eshwarappa and even state BJP president D V Sadanand Gowda (DVS), who wielded respect and power till recently, have been rubbed in the wrong way on various occasions. The district in charge ministers are angry, as they have not been consulted by the chief minister before affecting transfer of important officials in their districts while the fact that transfer of high ranking officials in various departments were made without even consulting the respective ministers, gave rise to chagrin among the neglected ministers .
Some leaders including DVS did not take part in the swearing in ceremony of the new ministers, arguably for having not taken them into confidence either about the expansion or about the date of expansion of the state ministry. There are clear signs that the state BJP may soon face dissidence in the state unit, with the leaders closely connected with the Sangh parivar outfits likely to come together, resulting in a vertical fissure in the party, opposing the erosion of the discipline, party's image and ethics and haphazard handling of the state affairs. Some of the disgruntled party men however, are not bold enough to vent their feelings for the fear of displeasing the chief minister.
The fact that the all the newly-inducted ministers immediately after taking oath, fell at the feet of Janardan Reddy, Sriramulu and Karunakar Reddy, the mining caucus, has dropped enough hints about the growing clout of the trio. The trio along with Shobha Karandlaje, a long-time confidant of the chief minister, are said to be interfering into the affairs of all the departments, overlooking the ministers attached to them. Instead of taking a decision after hearing opinions of all the leaders of the party, the chief minister is said to be listening to the advices of only this group. The BJP may quite be moving towards spoiling the party when the going is good.