BENGALURU: Although it was in the offing for some time that Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa would have three deputy chief ministers, the high command’s choice seems to have left many senior ministers stunned. Many of them were left sulking.
It is apparent that the party high command is decentralising Yediyurappa’s authority in the government pertaining to the appointment of deputy chief ministers. According to party insiders, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former Deputy Chief Ministers R Ashok and KS Eshwarappa have been openly slighted. “Though they have been made ministers and given important portfolios, they will feel that their seniority has been ignored, while Laxman Savadi has been made DyCM despite losing the 2018 assembly polls,” said a party leader.
Many in the party were surprised by Savadi’s induction into the cabinet while ignoring senior leaders like Umesh Katti, a Lingayat leader who won assembly elections eight times. “Many in the party fail to understand the logic behind making him a minister and now the DyCM,” said a party leader.
Apart from Shettar, Ashok and Eshwarappa, other ministers like CT Ravi and B Sriramulu are unlikely to be happy with the portfolios given to them. Ravi, who was in the race for the party’s state unit president has been given Tourism Ministry. He had worked as Higher Education Minister earlier. Now, the Higher Education Ministry has been given to Deputy CM CN Ashwanthnarayan.