Varthur Prakash withdraws support to BSY regime
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
BANGALORE, JUN 22: Even as the internal bickering and dissidence within Karnataka’s ruling BJP is yet to be resolved, independent MLA Varthur Prakash has withdrawn the ``unconditional’’ support extended by him to the B S Yeddyurappa regime.
However, the withdrawal of support by Prakash, who contested the 2008 assembly elections as a Congress rebel candidate from Kolar and got elected, is unlikely to have any bearing on the stability of the Yeddyurappa regime which has just completed one year in office on May 30.
The ruling BJP, which won 110 seats in the 224-member assembly and marginally short of the magic mark of 113 for a simple majority, was able to overcome his shortcoming by enlisting the unconditional support extended by all the six independent MLAs.
The ruling party, however, sought to bridge the gap and improve its strength in the assembly by persuading MLAs elected on Congress or JD(S) tickets to resign their seats and contest on behalf of BJP by offering allurements of office and even money under what has come to be known as ``Operation Lotus’’ resulting in the party’s strength going up to 115.
Varthur Prakash, a known supporter of Congress leader Siddaramaiah who was recently elevated as the opposition leader in the state legislative assembly, was unceremoniously stripped of his post as chairman of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board (KUWSSB). He was reward for his support to the BJP government along with the other five independent MLAs, who were offered cabinet ministerial berths.
The independent MLA submitted a letter to assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar on Monday formally intimating his decision to dissociate from BJP. The speaker confirmed that he had received the letter from Prakash.
State BJP president D V Sadananda Gowda had announced the ouster of Prakash as chairman of KUWSSB last week for his public criticism of the chief minister and his government’s style of functioning
Prakash, who started off as a supporter of Siddaramaiah and shot into limelight as a real estate businessman, is known for organising a series of functions in Kolar and other places in support of the Congress leader. In fact, it is these activities that boosted his political career.
He has decided to organise a ``Swabhimani’’ (self-respect) convention in Haveri soon to expose what he termed as the ``treachery’’ of BJP and its anti-people policies as also failures to live up to the promises made to the people. He has also announced plans to tour 40 taluks prior to the Haveri convention to enlighten the people about the betrayal of the BJP regime to fulfil its electoral promises of supplying 25 kg of rice to the poor at Rs 3 per kg, free power to irrigation pumpsets and provide unemployment allowance of Rs 1500 a month to the jobless youth.
Claiming that he was not allowed a free hand in running KUWSSB and was fed up with the frequent interference from the chief minister and his family members, Prakash alleged that a majority of the BJP MLAs as well as ministers were unhappy. ``There is no freedom for the ministers to work independently. The entire Government is run by a clique comprising a few ministers close to Yeddyurappa and his family members,’’ he said.