Yediyurappa’s Troubles Never Seem To End, With New Cabinet Comes New Discontent

Twenty five days after being sworn in, B S Yediyurappa finally has a cabinet - an incomplete one, but atleast he has one.

But the announcement of names that has made it to BSY’s team, has only brought more trouble for the Chief Minister as many disappointed and disgruntled fractions within the party have expressed their unhappiness and quite vocally at that.

Those who have been left out, especially seniors, multiple time MLA’s, BSY loyalists and their supporters have been vocal about their disappointments as over 17 districts of the state have had no representation in the state cabinet despite having contributed significantly to the party’s victory in both the elections.

Supporters of various ministerial aspirants took to the streets, burning tyres and protesting, leading to even lathi charge at certain places. In Chitradurga, supporters of MLA G S Thippareddy set a bike on fire protesting his non-inclusion in the cabinet, leading to lathi charge and arrest of 15 workers including women.

Adding to Yediyurappa’s worries are the rising demands of those who have not been inducted into the cabinet in the first round of appointment. Said to be the key cause of the tumble of the erstwhile coalition government, the Jarkiholi brothers, both of whose names didnt make it to the first list have sought a ‘key position’ for either of the brothers.

New entrant Goolihatti Shekhar speaking to local media channels lamented at not having been given a cabinet berth saying that of the two people he knew in the party B S Y had already told him of very little chances for those who had ‘come from outside ‘ while R Ashok had promised to try. Hinting at not being known to the party high command, as he spoke to media channels he accused the party of having done injustice to him and his region as he had sought a ministerial berth in 2008 also and that he had been betrayed second time around.

Party seniors and multiple time MLA’s neglected:

Coastal Karnataka, Central Karnataka (davanagere), Kodagu are all upset with lack of representation.

The coast which had won the party its maximum seats giving it a clean sweep has also been ignored. Sunil Kumar, Halady Srinivas Shetty, S Angara were all names in the possible list of ministers that was being speculated. But none of these having made to the cabinet has yet again got the coast disappointed.

Kodagu too joins the list of unhappy regions with MLA Apachchu Ranjan calling it ‘an insult to the Kodava community’. ‘ I have paid the price for being a party loyalist instead of a person loyalist,’ complained Ranjan, as reported. Having won the party six out of 8 seats yet having no representation, Davanagere too is miffed with non-representation.

Supporters of senior MLA Umesh Katti too took to the streets protesting the eight time MLA’s non-selection.

Last minute list

Many a names which were supposedly in the list until midnight were dropped and not included at the nth hour. Katti’s name which was said to be in the list until the previous night and being dropped in the final list has raised a lot of questions. Add to this the last minute inclusion of former BJP MLA Laxman Savadi. His surprise inclusion is being touted as a measure to handle the by-elections in Kagwada and Athani that are round the corner. This has reportedly created rifts within the Yediyurappa camp too, as both Kathi and Savadi are known to be close to the CM.

Six time MLA from reserved constituency Sullya S Angara sounded inconsolable as he offered to render his resignation objecting to the ‘injustice that had been meted out to his region’.

The Chief minister is trying to console the upset leaders and has assured to give certain leaders eminent positions in the various bodies that are to be formed in the near future. Eight to ten ministerial aspirants would be reportedly accommodated in such bodies of their preference.

Some names that were in Yediyurappa’s list were said to have been dropped by the party high command in the last minute. The disappointment wasn’t very difficult to notice on the Chief Minister’s face as the ministers took oath. With the state being flood hit on one side, and drought hit on the other, add to it the question of the rebel opposition leaders who if need be may have to be accomodated, and the diktats of the party high command, the CM sure has its plate full with issues that aren’t going to be easily solved in the near future.