Seven legislators were sworn in as ministers in B S Yediyurappa’s Cabinet on Wednesday, even as disgruntlement erupted among BJP legislators over “skewed” regional representation and selection of MLCs for ministerial berths.
While ministers’ portfolios are yet to be allocated, there were indications of a possible reshuffle following requests by some ministers to change their posts. Excise Minister H Nagesh was asked to resign and the Independent MLA is expected to step down as minister on Thursday. He was later named chairman of the Ambedkar Development Corporation.
Read: Karnataka Cabinet expansion: AH Vishwanath expresses his displeasure
The new ministers inducted to the state Cabinet are Umesh Katti (Hukkeri), Arvind Limbavali (Mahadevapura), M T B Nagaraj (MLC), Murugesh Nirani (Bilgi), R Shankar (MLC), C P Yogeeshwar (MLC) and S Angara (Sullia). Though eight positions will be vacant following Nagesh’s resignation, only seven positions were filled.
Recently elected MLA Muniratna — among those who resigned from the Congress-JD(S) coalition after being assured of a Cabinet berth — was left disappointed. Though he was among the favourites to be inducted, the BJP leadership decided against it as a case of electoral irregularities was pending.
Limbavali, sources said, got a berth by virtue of his association with the RSS. Induction of six-time Sullia MLA Angara was also pushed by the organisation, sources said.
The announcement of new ministers reopened the fault lines within the state BJP unit, with both senior and junior MLAs attacking the decision of the state leadership over the Cabinet expansion.
While Vijayapura MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal accused Yediyurappa of succumbing to blackmail, legislators like M Satish Reddy and Arvind Bellad questioned the parameters for selecting ministers, and accused the party leadership of sidelining youth leaders.
Several MLAs also expressed reservations over including MLCs as ministers, accusing Yediyurappa of inducting those who had lost the elections.
By asking Nagesh to step down following graft allegations against him, Yediyurappa will now be able to reshuffle the Cabinet. According to sources, the CM has promised to look into requests of changing portfolios of a few ministers.