HUBLI: After Kundgola MLA SI Chikkanagoudar, it is now the turn of Hubli- Dharwad West MLA Chandrakant Bellad to seek a ministerial berth.
Making public their desire for power, these two have further widened the rift in the BJP. Already embroiled in dissident activities, these new developments have put the party leaders in a fix.
The dissidence reemerged with the entry of Renukacharya, who led the dissident camp against Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. It is but natural for the other aspirants to ask why they cannot be considered if Renukacharya can.
Chikkanagoudar has given an ultimatum to the party leaders, while Bellad has stated that his supporters are forcing him to demand a berth in the Cabinet.
The BJP is a divided house in Dharwad district. The MLAs openly identified themselves in the Shettar or Yeddyurappa camps when the stand-off between the Reddy brothers and the Chief Minister went on over a fortnight.
As Chikkangaoudar, who supports Shettar, demanded a Cabinet berth, CM loyalist Bellad also joined the bandwagon.
Bellad is a senior leader and even held the position of state BJP vicepresident.
He is a four-time MLA from Dharwad, twice from the BJP, and expected a ministerial berth when the party came to power. But he was disappointed as his seniority was overlooked. With the strong backing of the Lingayat community, he did not speak out against the leaders, in the interest of the party.
But Bellad is disillusioned with the recent developments. “With all the capabilities to become minister I had kept quiet in the interest of the party. But inducting unable and tainted figures in the ministry disappointed my supporters. If I did not raise my voice now they will be dismayed,” he said.
“I am a loyal worker since joining the party in 1991. I have put my case before party president Sadananda Gowda, Yeddyurappa and other leaders.
I am under immense pressure from my supporters to claim my rightful position,” he said.
However, sources in the BJP told Express that Bellad’s move was a political tactic adopted to suppress the voice raised by Chikkanagoudar.
At this juncture, there is no vacancy in the Cabinet unless somebody is dropped. As Dharwad district is poorly represented in the Cabinet, other MLAs are positioning themselves for any reshuffle in the Cabinet.
While Chikkanagoudar, a threetime MLA, is bargaining for the post of chairman/president of any corporation/ board in case a ministry is denied, Bellad is positioning himself for a hard round of bargaining.
vaidya@expressbuzz.com