BENGALURU: BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi who has tendered resignation as Kannada and Culture Minister is expected to be relieved of responsibilities after Kannada Rajyotsava Day celebrations on November 1. His resignation letter submitted on October 2 is pending with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.
It’s been a couple of weeks since Ravi was inducted into Team Nadda as national secretary. He was reportedly told to look after party work in Karnataka and other southern states till the party appointed in-charge general secretaries for these states. Ravi has already started travelling to different states to strengthen the party in South India.
Sources from the Chief Minister’s Office said that the CM wanted Ravi to continue till the Rajyotsava Day as Kannada and Culture Minister. “Ravi’s resignation is expected to be accepted by November 3,’’ sources said. Meanwhile, though preparations for the Rajyotsava awards ceremony are going on, the state government is in a dilemma on whether to go ahead or postpone it due to the pandemic.
In 2008-09, when Yediyurappa was Chief Minister, Rajyotsava awards were not announced, citing heavy floods. But in the subsequent year, awards were announced and given for both the years. Ravi said that they were aware of the pandemic and referred to other big events (like the Dasara celebrations) which were not cancelled. He said that this year the department got more than 1,500 applications for awards.
To commemorate 65 years of the formation of Karnataka State, the number of awardees too will be the same number. “Sixty-five is not a big number. For people who cannot make it or are vulnerable to the pandemic, we can make arrangements to deliver the awards to their doorstep through the concerned DCs,’’ Ravi said.