BENGALURU/BELAGAVI: With the exit polls predicting a victory for the BJP in 8-12 of the 15 seats at stake, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is likely to face a problem of plenty -- of both MLAs and ambition.
Having assured the winning disqualified MLAs of cabinet berths, Yediyurappa will be under immense pressure to expand his cabinet after December 9. As the countdown begins, the BJP appears to be more accommodating of disqualified MLAs who played a major role in forming the government. Yediyurappa may even look at dropping one or two deputy chief ministers to accommodate them, and sources say the fall guy could be Laxman Savadi.
A reliable source told TNSE that whether or not MTB Nagaraj (Hoskote), AH Vishwanath (Hunsur) and Ramesh Jarkiholi (Gokak) win their seats, they will be inducted into the cabinet. “In case they lose the election, our party will not leave them, they will be made MLCs and inducted into the cabinet. R Shankar, who was not given the ticket from Ranebennur, was promised an MLC seat and cabinet berth,” sources said.Rural development minister KS Eshwarappa had said that the disqualified MLAs who lose will not be given a position.
At present, the Yediyurappa government has 17 ministers, excluding the chief minister. Some of the ministers are holding two portfolios each, and 17 berths have been kept vacant for the disqualified MLAs, besides some senior BJP MLAs. “All those who win may not be part of the cabinet. Some of them will head Boards and Corporations,’’ sources said.
A senior BJP leader said, on condition of anonymity, that Umesh Katti and Aravind Limbavali will also be made ministers. “Their names were in the first set of ministers when they took oath. This time, the party has decided to induct them into the cabinet. Yediyurappa is under pressure to include several seniors into his cabinet too. He may have to remove some cabinet ministers to accommodate them.”
Eight-time MLA Katti said, “As a senior MLA, I will stake claim for a cabinet berth, and 100 per cent I would want to be a minister.’’ He has already given Yediyurappa an ultimatum to induct him into the cabinet.
Yediyurappa may also be compelled to accommodate Ramesh Jarkiholi and Health Minister B Sriramulu as deputy chief ministers. The party has created three DCM posts, so it may have to replace Savadi with Ramesh Jarkiholi or Sriramulu, depending on the outcome of the bypoll results. “Savadi is neither an MLA nor MLC. The BJP leadership is already under pressure to remove him from the DCM’s post, but it remains to be seen if he is retained in case of a win in Athani, where Savadi was in-charge of the bypoll,’’ sources said.
Yediyurappa had recently admitted in Belagavi that Savadi would continue as DCM and would also hold the post of in-charge minister of Belagavi district.
The Belagavi conundrum
A victory of all three BJP candidates in Belagavi (Gokak, Kagwad and Athani) is likely to put Yediyurappa on a sticky wicket, as he is already under immense pressure to accommodate senior party MLAs Umesh Katti and Balachandra Jarkiholi into the cabinet, besides the three disqualified MLAs.
Most of the governments that came to power in the state in recent years have accommodated not more than two MLAs from each district into the cabinet. But Yediyurappa has already decided to induct all three disqualified MLAs from Belagavi district into the cabinet if they win their seats, besides having two MLAs from Belagavi already in his cabinet.
Supporters of Arabhavi MLA Balachandra Jarkiholi are exerting pressure on Yediyurappa to induct him into the cabinet to help rebel MLAs carry out Operation Lotus without any hassles. However, the BJP may avoid inducting Balachandra as he has already been appointed chairman of KMF.