Disgruntlement among BJP MLAs after BS Yediyurappa expands ministry

Bengaluru: Several senior BJP MLAs erupted in anger over chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s choice of men for ministership after he expanded his 17-month old ministry on Wednesday.
Sections of MLAs freely made critical comments about the chief minister in spite of BJP general secretary Arun Singh's presence at the swearing-in ceremony.

Seven legislators -- Umesh Katti, Murugesh Nirani, Aravind Limbavali, S Angara, CP Yogeshwara, MTB Nagaraj, and R Shankar -- took oath, while excise minister H Nagesh was shown the door. Of the new inductees, Nagaraj and Shankar quit their Assembly membership from the Congress in 2019 and helped Yediyurappa install the BJP regime. The ministership came as a reward for their "sacrifice."

The chief minister has kept one seat vacant in the 34-member ministry. Congress defector Munirathna who won the November bypolls on a BJP ticket with a lead of about 58,000 votes over his Congress rival did not make the cut for reasons that remain a mystery. As Murirathna sulked, the chief minister promised him a berth at the next round of Cabinet rejig in March.

Former union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, a vocal critic of the chief minister, dropped a virtual bombshell when he remarked three MLAs have made it to the ministry with a combination of blackmail and money. They used a CD for blackmail, he said, without elaborating. “Ministers are chosen based on CD quota and money quota, unlike earlier when party workers made it to the cabinet because of honesty, hardwork and by considering caste and regional balance.” Some have got in much against the wishes of the Prime Minister and Home Minister.

Dharwad MLA Arvind Bellad was critical of the chief minister for ignoring youth and those who worked for the party, and giving in to pressure-tactics. He wondered why Yediyurappa inducted three MLCs into the cabinet.

Bengaluru MLA M Sathish Reddy slammed Yediyurappa in a tweet, seeking to know the yardstick the chief minister used in selecting ministers. “Can’t you and our national and state leaders recognise the loyal and young workers of the party,” he asked the chief minister, and added they were feeling the absence of Ananthkumar (the late union minister) now as he was around to hear their grievances.

Senior MLAs GH Thippa Reddy, S A Ramadass and MP Renukacharya too took out their frustration. Many sounded upset at CP Yogeshwar, a defeated BJP candidate being made a minister.