Bengaluru: As Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa gears up to expand his cabinet on February 6, dissenting voices between party members and turncoats within the BJP is growing louder.
While the CM has promised that at least 10 turncoat MLAs will be accommodated in the new team, many senior loyal BJP leaders have been trying to arm-wrestle their way towards a ministerial berth.
Hectic lobbying from various regions and has have been keeping the corridors of power busy. Members from the Karnataka-Hyderabad region have been meeting for the past three days, putting pressure on Yediyurappa to have at least one representative from the region in his expended cabinet. Raju Gouda, MLA from Shorapur in Yadgir district, has expressed his intent to be given a berth.
"You can make anyone a minister from the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, it does not have to be me. A person from our area should be made minister, otherwise it becomes difficult for us to work," he said.
Six-time MLA from Sullia in Dakshin Kannada, S Angara, is another ministerial aspirant. Speaking to CNN-News18, Angara said the BJP must consider the fact that people from his constituency have repeatedly voted for the party.
"There is no question of putting pressure on the CM, we have come to the party based on ideology and goals. So the party must consider us. I have no plans of joining any other party, I have come from the Sangha. I am here for my ideology," Angara added.
A seer of the Panchamasali Peetha had demanded at a public event recently that Yediyurappa should give at least three ministerial berths to MLAs from the Lingayat sub-sect. Vachananda Swamy was batting for a seat for Murugesh Nirani, the Bilgi MLA from Bagalkot. While the demand turned into a controversy following the CM’s response, Nirani continues to build pressure in hopes for a seat.
On his return from Delhi, Yediyurappa assured that the expansion would see 13 new ministers, of which 10 are likely to be those who were elected in the by-polls. Those that didn't make it through have more reason to worry.
Hunsur's H Vishwanath as well as Hoskote's MTB Nagraj were among the rebel MLAs who switched sides but didn't get elected in the bypolls. They have been making sure that the chief minister rewards them through the Legislative Council, the upper house in Karnataka. Talks of former MLA CP Yogeshwar getting a seat has also kept many on the edge.
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