Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Jan 9: The tussle between chief minister (CM) B S Yediyurappa and BJP high command has reached its peak. The high command has reportedly said that it is committed to the agreement that took place during 'Operation Lotus'. This means that Yediyurappa has more trouble on his hands of pacifying the dissident MLAs who have won the recent elections as he cannot offer minister portfolio to all of them.

It is said that the high command has told Yediyurappa in strict terms that all the MLAs those have won the elections cannot be made as ministers. It has said that Yediyurappa and high command have to go as per the promise that was made to the dissident MLAs when they resigned during Operation Lotus.

This means that, except Roshan Baig, out of the 17 MLAs, which the BJP supported, only 12 will get ministerial berths. The BJP high command has reportedly said that this was the deal that was done during the time when the MLAs resigned and went to Mumbai. According to this deal, independent MLA Nagesh is already made minister. So now only 11 minister positions remain to be dished out. Out of these two positions have to be kept reserved for Muniratna and Pratapgowda Patil. This means that only nine ministerial positions will be given to the dissident MLAs who contested on BJP ticket and won the elections. As per the game of BJP high command, the rest five ministerial berths will be given to original BJP MLAs.

The curiosity now remains regarding the response of CM Yediyurappa to the BJP high command. The future of dissidents who joined BJP with an eye on the minister berth is dependent on the inroads Yediyurappa can make with the party high command when he visits New Delhi for final discussions on expansion of the Cabinet.

The team of dissident MLAs who have won on BJP ticket has decided to wait till the time Yediyurappa is back from the meeting with BJP high command. There is a possibility of Yediyurappa flying to New Delhi for discussion on this matter in another three to four days’ time. As per sources, the dissident team is hell bent on getting minister positions for all members as well as those who got defeated in the recently held assembly by-elections.