BENGALURU: It’S more than a year since MTB Nagaraj and H Vishwanath left their respective parties to join the BJP’s grand government formation plan. They spoke to the media on Thursday. Both these leaders were crucial for the dissidents, and their exit from the coalition that brought down the HD Kumaraswamy government.
More than a year later, they are waiting to be inducted into the ministry after first being made MLCs. Both of them, surprisingly, lost the assembly by-elections in December. Vishwanath, former JDS state president, said Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is a man who keeps his word. But Nagaraj feels disappointed. Vishwanath told TNIE, “Yediyurappa has assured us that he will make us ministers, there is no need to remind him again.’’ Vishwanath, who is an aspirant for a council seat and recently spoke to the CM, said, “I spoke to him about the corona situation in Mysuru.
’’ His fellow backward classes leader Nagaraj said though he went to the CM’s house, he could not meet him because the latter was busy. Nagaraj, a former minister in the coalition government who resigned against his party’s wishes and joined the BJP, spoke of how he had been betrayed by Bachegowda and his son Sharath Bachegowda and wondered what disciplinary action was taken against the duo. He said, “What is destined will happen.’’ The BSY cabinet has four vacancies.
MTB Nagaraj, a Kuruba, who chucked his ministerial position and assembly membership, lost Hoskote assembly seat in bypolls. He is now waiting to become an MLC and a minister
H Vishwanath, also a Kuruba, who was JDS president and gave it all up to join rebels, lost the Hunsur assembly by-election. He is waiting to be inducted as an MLC and a minister