Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa has hinted that he would be having "one to three" deputy CMs and that announcement of portfolios would be over by Monday.

The list of probables for three deputy chief minister posts appears to have added fuel to the fire of rebellion raging within BJP following the Yediyurappa cabinet formation. Senior leaders who felt slighted at being left out of the council said it was “baffling” that inexperienced colleagues were being considered for the post.

The reference was to Lingayat leader from Belagavi, Laxman Savadi, and young Vokkaliga leader CN Ashwathnarayana from Bengaluru. Dalit leader Govind M Karjol, also in contention, appears to have been given a leeway due to his seniority.

“The process of allocating portfolios will be finalized on Monday. We will have a deputy CM — how many deputy CM posts (we will have) will be known by Monday....” the CM said.

Admitting the discontent over Savadi’s inclusion, Yediyurappa said it was the party high command’s call.

Choice for DyCM posts adds fuel to disgruntlement fire

With chief minister BS Yediyurappa confirming there would be “one to three” deputy chief ministers serving under him, the likelihood of the central BJP brass handing two of them to relatively ‘inexperienced’ ministers has caused widespread resentment among party seniors.

The furore over the deputy chief minister posts comes at a time when disgruntled seniors left out of the cabinet are already raising a banner of revolt. Also there has been considerable lag in allocating portfolios among the 17 who were sworn in as ministers and suspense is building over the exercise.

Yediyurappa was expected to allocate portfolios by Sunday, but put off an announcement on account of former Union minister Arun Jaitley’s demise. All senior leaders of the party attended the last rites on Sunday evening.

Senior Dalit leader Govind M Karjol, Vokkaliga leader CN Ashwathnarayan, who represents Malleswaram, Bengaluru, and Lingayat leader from Belagavi Laxman Savadi are tipped for the DyCM posts. While the BJP rank and file appears to have, by and large, accepted Karjol’s choice given his seniority, the heartburn is over the selection of the other two.

“The reports, if they are true, are baffling. Ashwathnarayan was never a minister and Laxman Savadi has not even won his seat. How can the party leadership consider them for such a top post?” said a senior leader from Bengaluru. “Is it their objective to humiliate seniors who have been loyal to the party?”

Seniors including KS Eshwarappa and R Ashoka, both of whom have served as DyCM in the past, and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar are feeling ignored.

Ever since the previous coalition government fell and the BJP came to power, the saffron party high command has attempted to strike a balance by considering leaders from three major communities for key positions. The apparent objective of choosing Aswathanarayan and Savadi is to nurture future leaders.

However, the rationale has not helped in calming frayed nerves.

Umesh Katti, senior leader from Belagavi, who was incensed after he was overlooked for a cabinet berth, is now enraged and said he would vehemently oppose the choice of Savadi for the DyCM’s post.

“I don’t want to be minister if Savadi is made DyCM,” Katti stated. “We were asked to wait for a week or so before the CM holds the second leg of cabinet expansion and we will be accommodated. Now, they are talking about making someone who is not even an MLA DyCM. If that is the case I will reject the offer of becoming a minister.”

Admitting the discontent over Savadi’s inclusion in the cabinet, Yediyurappa said it was the party high command’s call. “While there is a feeling of indignation about the choice of Savadi, we will try to assuage it by accommodating a leader from Belagavi in the cabinet,” Yediyurappa said adding that some of the leaders left out of the cabinet will be nominated to boards and corporations.



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