BENGALURU: At a time when there is confusion in the state over a possible change in leadership, political circles are abuzz with speculations about the fate of former Congress and JDS legislators who joined the BJP to help the saffron party form the government in 2019.The JDS-Congress government — headed by H D Kumaraswamy — fell after the resignation of 17 of the coalition MLAs. Most of them contested the bypolls on BJP tickets and became ministers in the B S Yediyurappa Cabinet.
A senior BJP leader, however, said the interests of these “turncoats” will be protected.
Chief Minister Yediyurappa, who is at the centre of a political storm with rumours swirling around his resignation ever since his recent Delhi visit, has been backing these “outsiders” from the time they joined the party. Of the 17 legislators, 12 are ministers in the Yediyurappa Cabinet, including M T B Nagaraj, who lost the bypolls from Hosakote. According to sources in the BJP, plum posts were given to the new entrants, ignoring party loyalists.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a minister from the “outsiders” camp, said that they quit their old party as they trusted Yediyurappa and the BJP. “We do not know if Yediyurappa will continue as the chief minister or resign. We are hoping that the BJP high command will allow Yediyurappa to complete his full term. We also trust the party that has made us ministers and given us responsibilities. We have not just accepted the party ideology, but are ready to work as party workers too. We also hope that they will retain us in the Cabinet,” the minister said.
Another minister suspected a change in their portfolios if Yediyurappa resigns and a new CM takes over the reins of the state. “In spite of Covid-19 and other crisis, we have done so much work. It will be
unfair if they change our portfolios,” he said.A senior party leader, however, maintained that these ministers will not be sacked even if Yediyurappa is not the Chief Minister. “The party knows the sacrifices made by them and will retain them in the Cabinet. It is, however, up to the high command to decide on their portfolios,” the leader added.