Somanna, Ashoka fight it out for a place in CM Bommai's cabinet

Ties between senior Karnataka BJP leaders V Somanna and R Ashoka have turned sour in the middle of hectic lobbying by ministerial aspirants who want to find a place in Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s Cabinet.

Apparently, Somanna and Ashoka quarrelled over the phone. Both leaders, who are legislators from Bengaluru, were ministers in the previous B S Yediyurappa government.

According to sources, Somanna called up Ashoka and gave him a piece of his mind. Somanna’s grouse was that Ashoka bad-mouthed him to Yediyurappa and Bommai. This conversation reportedly happened on Friday when Ashoka was in Delhi with Bommai.

Speaking to reporters, Somanna confirmed the quarrel without revealing details. “This happened before anybody knew that Bommai was going to become the CM. It’s true I spoke in a harsh manner. I said whatever I had to say. I'm an outspoken man. I don't regret it,” he said.

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Somanna and Ashoka are seen as prominent BJP leaders from Bengaluru. While Somanna is a Lingayat, Ashoka is a Vokkaliga - the two politically-dominant communities.

Although Somanna downplayed the fight, he could not hold back expressing his grouse against Ashoka. “He's like my brother. He’s 10-12 years younger. I’ve seen him since 1996. I expected him to be the same Ashoka I knew,” he said. “Before D V Sadananda Gowda became the CM, I went to Ashoka’s house and asked him to become the CM by convincing Yediyurappa. Sometimes, I feel I went overboard with my love for him.”

Somanna suggested that Ashoka should have spoken to him directly. “It’s wrong to talk to someone else. If there’s something, let’s fight directly,” he said.

The Somanna-Ashoka fight could be symbolic of the intense competition within the BJP to get ministerial positions, an exercise that will be a tightrope walk for Bommai with way too many aspirants.