Undeterred by the state government’s move to sack them as chiefs of various boards and corporations, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s loyalists have upped their ante against Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar in his home district.
As a disciplinary action the state government has sacked MLA S I Chikkanagowdar as the chairman of the Karnataka Rural and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Ashok Katawe as the chairman of Devaraj Urs Backward Class Development Corporation and C M Nimbannavar as the chairman Karnataka Renewable Energy Sources Development Corporation.
All these leaders have openly been showing their loyalty to Yeddyurappa and had participated in the Karnataka Janata Party convention held in Haveri.
According to the BJP sources, the state government has dropped as many as 32 people as the heads of various boards and corporations stating they had completed three-year term. However, it is being read as a move to minimise the hold of KJP loyalists on the state government.
The BJP leadership intends to replace BSY loyalists with loyal BJP workers to help them get an identity.
Speaking to Express Katawe said that he had received the termination order as Devaraj Urs Backward Classes Development Corporation chief through a fax on Monday.
“Over 90 per cent of the chairpersons, who were sacked, are those who have identified themselves with Yeddyurappa. There is no need of such an action as hardly 2-3 three months of time is left for this government to complete its term. It is nothing but a political move to vent its hatred,” he said.
He said that the move has driven them to strengthen the base of the KJP in the region. Meanwhile, Kundgol MLA S I Chikkanagowadar said he had not received any communication in this regard. He said he would ‘remain’ in BJP until the dissolution of the government.
However, Mallikarjun Sawakar, a close confidant of Shettar, who has also been dropped as the chairman of North West State Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), tried to downplay the government move. He said that the government had dropped them as they completed their term.
It is interesting to note that HDUDA chairman Lingraj Patil, a BJP loyalist, has been allowed to continue in his position. It seems to have irked the KJP loyalists who have now raised a banner of revolt against Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar in his home turf.