Ruling out ‘targeting’ officials who worked under Shobha Karandlaje while she was the energy minister, highly-placed sources close to Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar accused a few officials of trying to create confusion in people’s minds.
Sources said that a number of officials who were in the good books of Shobha, were spreading rumours that the state government was transferring them to settle scores with her after she joined the KJP.
“Shobha cannot interfere in government affairs once she has quit. Transferring any officer is the prerogative of the government and is done as and when the situation merits,” sources said.
“Such behaviour will not be tolerated and action would be initiated. Officials seem to be more loyal to their political bosses than to the government. The CM is likely to talk to such officials to know their intentions,” sources noted.
Recently, Shobha had “embarrassed” the government by sending two missives to Shettar criticising the failure to check sexual harassment of women and the ineffective functioning of the police force in the state.
After quitting the Cabinet, she has been accusing the government of targeting senior officials who worked under her in the Energy Department.
This has become grist for the opposition KJP to settle scores with the state government.