BENGALURU: Even as some BJP legislators continue to express displeasure over the cabinet expansion and have landed in New Delhi with their complaints, the party central leadership is confident of defusing the situation by taking them into confidence.
“They are our party leaders and we will take them into confidence,” BJP national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh told The New Indian Express. The cabinet expansion and induction of ministers was done as per Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s decision and portfolio allocation too would be decided by him, and the central leaders would not interfere, Singh said.
“No, there is no such proposal now,” Singh said responding to a question on Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi’s statement that cabinet reshuffle will be taken up in April and many legislators, who have been left out during the recent rejig, will be inducted into the ministry.
He, however, said the party will take care of RR Nagar MLA N Muniratna. “He is a good leader and has won the bypoll with a big margin of over 50,000 votes,” he said, and emphasized that despite him not being considered during the cabinet rejig, Muniratna had not spoken against the party or its leaders. Despite the CM’ s assurance, the RR Nagar MLA was not inducted into the ministry.
Dismissing the allegations over a CD being used for blackmail, Singh said he had visited Karnataka several times after he was made party general secretary in-charge of the state and nobody had spoken to him about any CD. “I don’t know what CD you are talking about. It could be about songs, bhajans also. We cannot talk about it without knowing what it is,” he said. When specifically asked about allegations made by his party leader Basangouda Yatnal, he said everyone knew about his track record.
After the cabinet expansion, ministers will now focus on ensuring proper implementation of state and central government schemes by travelling across the state. The party will also focus on preparing for the Taluk and Zilla Panchayat elections and also strengthening the organization at booth level, especially in the Old Mysuru region. “Compared to Gram Panchayat elections in 2015, we have done well in the recent polls in the Old Mysuru region. We will continue to focus more on the region and even come out with a strategy” Singh added.