Bengaluru, Jan 25 (IANS): Even as Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa struggles to contain the rumblings within the party over allocation of portfolios, newly-inducted ministers R. Shankar, M.T.B. Nagaraj and K.C. Narayan Gowda on Monday demanded on Monday that they needed to be in charge of their home districts - Haveri, Bengaluru Rural and Mandya, respectively.
In a bid to contain rising disgruntlement, Yediyurappa has summoned Revenue Minister R. Ashoka to cut short his tour in Udupi district and remain available in Bengaluru.
Ashoka said in Udupi that he was heading back to Bengaluru. "Yes, after the third round of reallocations of portfolios, some problems have cropped up but all these problems can be sorted out through discussions," he said before leaving.
He had played a pivotal role in persuading the 17 Congress and JD-S MLAs to defect to BJP and as a result, the Congress-JD-S coalition government headed by H.D. Kumarswamy collapsed in 2019.
Earlier in the day, Horticulture and Sericulture minister, Shanakar who is already peeved over the change of his portfolios twice, told reporters that in next two days, he would be made Haveri district in-charge minister.
"I won my first Assembly elections from Ranebennur, which is part of Haveri, so this is my home district. I am sure that Yediyurappa will announce the district-in-charge minister list in two days after the Republic Day ceremony," he said in a bid to mount pressure on Yediyurappa.
Newly-appointed Municipal administration minister Nagaraj said that he was looking at becoming in-charge of Bengaluru Rural district. "Naturally, I wish to be Bengaluru Rural district incharge ministry as Hoskote constituency, which I represented thrice in Assembly in the past, is part of Bengaluru Rural district," he told reporters.
Youth affairs, Planning and Statistics Minister Narayan Gowda angrily sought to know the credentials of Minor Irrigation Minister C.P. Yogeshwar to be made Mandya in charge.
"I have won from Mandya district, he is from Ramnagar district, he is most welcome if he is coming to Mandya as a guest, not as district in charge minister. IF he comes, he will not get the desired welcome here," he said.