Karnataka : Seniors rewarded while dissidents angry for being left out

The 25 days old lone member BS Yediyurappa led Bharatiya Janata Party cabinet in the state has at last been expanded today with the induction of 17 new cabinet ministers.

Among them include 11 former ministers including Jagadish Shettar, former chief minister and two Deputy chief ministers , R Ashok and KS Eshwarappa . The other former ministers include S Sureshkumar, V Somanna, Govind Karajol, LS Savadi, Basavaraj Bommai, B Sriramulu, CC Patil, Kota Sreenivas Pujari and H Nagesh.The first time ministers are Dr Ashwathnarayan CN, CT Ravi, JC Madhuswamy, Prabhu Chavan and Ms Shashikala Annasaheb Jolle.15 members of the state Assembly have joined the cabinet while Kota Sreenivas Pujari, leader of the house in the state legislative Council is the lone member representing the upper house.

However, Lakshman Sangappa Savadi, former cooperation minister in the DV Sadanandagowda ministry and who is not a member of either of the houses has made it to the cabinet. It may also be recalled here that LS Savadi was among the three cabinet ministers who were forced to quit their positions for being trapped viewing pornography on their cell phones in the state Assembly.In fact, he is not the only member to return back to the ministry despite being forced to vacate the ministership. Even CC Patil, who also had to put papers as a fallout of his involvement in the same episode has returned back to the BJP ministry.

15 out of the 17 new ministers took the oath of office and secrecy in the name of God and all of them took the oath in Kannada. However, V Somanna did so in the name of the 12th-century saint philosophers and revolutionaries belonging to the Basava cult while Prabhu Chavan chose to do so in the name of Goddess Jagadamba.Apart from swearing in the name of his family deity, Prabhu Chavan also stole the show by gracing the occasion with the typical colourful traditional Lambani attire and royal turban!

There were many other interesting features as well as JC Madhuswamy committed a faux pas by reading as chief minister instead of a minister while being sworn in!

Govind Karajol, Dr Ashwathnarayan CN, KS Eshwarappa, B Sriramulu, CT Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai, CC Patil, H Nagesh, and Prabhu Chavan bowed down and touched the feet of BS Yediyurappa as a token of gratitude.Kota Sreenivas Pujari and Ms Shashikala Jolle bowed down to both, Governor Vajubhai Vala and BS Yediyurappa, chief minister.

Today's cabinet expansion has also led to dissension among many legislators who have failed to make it to the cabinet. GH Tippareddy, six-time Chitradurga MLA has openly expressed his dis satisfaction for being left out of the ministry. There were also protest demonstrations in the town of Chitradurga.

Likewise Appachu Ranjan, five times Madikeri MLA, S Angara six times Suliya MLA, MP Kumaraswamy, Mudigere MLA, Goolihatti Shekhar, Hosadurga MLA and many others have expressed their displeasure for not being considered in the cabinet expansion.There were protest demonstrations at a few places in the state for getting no representations to their districts in the new cabinet.Perhaps, apart from the immediate task of alotting portfolios to the new cabinet members, BS Yediyurappa is now under presurre to console the errant partymen before it blows up further.

-Manohar Yadavatti

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