BENGALURU: In a series of decisions approved by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday, water resources minister Ramesh Jarkiholi was appointed as district in-charge minister of Belagavi, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K Gopalaiah was made in-charge of Hassan. Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli- who lost out on a ministerial berth - was appointed as Chairman of Slum Development Board. The appointments come at a time the Chief Minister is facing massive dissent within the party whose epicentre is Belagavi. As if to counter the dissent in its epicentre, Yediyurappa- much to the dislike of Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi who is also from Belagavi- has appointed Ramesh Jarkiholi as in-charge minister. Yediyurappa's recent decisions, including the appointment of NR Santosh as his political secretary, is an attempt at damage control, according to those in the Chief Minister's inner circle.
A day after he said he did not have the time for 'dissent' in the party, Yediyurappa with Jarkiholi and Kumathalli's appointments seems to have conveyed to the Kattis that holding him to ransom wasn't appreciated. "When those rebelling aren't willing to hold talks, the Chief Minister has no option but to convey to them that he will not give it to bullying. When he said he is busy containing coronavirus he didn't mean just the pandemic," said a source close to the Chief Minister highlighting Yediyurappa's attempt to tackle the dissidence among party MLAs. Considering Jarkiholi's huge voter base, money and muscle power, Yediyurappa hopes to convey to the rebels led by Umesh Katti that he has other generals in Belagavi region. His inner circle, however, is aware that the move as comes as a huge setback to Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi who the BJP is looking at as the next big Lingayat leader. Ramesh Jarkiholi, who already holds the plump water resources portfolio, is a happy man now with district in-charge responsibility of Belagavi as his man- Mahesh Kumathalli- is appointed Chairman to one of the most sought after boards.
While he is cementing his position and gathering as many influencers as possible from the same region as the dissenters, Yediyurappa is also said to be patching up things between family members. "NR Santosh's appointment is Yediyurappa's attempt at ending the bad-blood growing between his son Vijayendra and Santosh- his grandnephew. Santosh was part of the rebel group in 2019 when Yediyurappa appointed cabinet ministers. Now the differences were only growing between members of his family and he has attempted to control that damage," said a source from Yediyurappa's inner circle.