BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, like his predecessor BS Yediyurappa, has kept the Bengaluru Development portfolio to himself, stopping seven ministers from Bengaluru who were eyeing the job on their tracks.
While allocating portfolios, the chief minister has taken care of BJP old-timers, giving higher education, IT-BT and Science and Technology to Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, revenue to R Ashoka and housing and infrastructure to V Somanna.
He allocated cooperative ministry to ST Somashekar, urban development to Byrathi Basavaraj, excise to K Gopalaiah and Horticulture and Munirathna, all of whom joined BJP from other parties and helped it form the government two years ago.
Ashwath Narayan, Ashoka, Somanna and Somashekar were aiming for the plum portfolio. In fact, Somanna had said in public that he was willing to manage the ministry as he had served it earlier. Somashekar too had openly expressed his wish.
BJP sources said, “It was one of the most sought-after portfolios. By giving it to any of the seven ministers, Bommai would have earned the wrath of others. Yediyurappa too faced a similar dilemma. At the same time, it is not a good idea for the chief minister to keep the portfolio as it needs a dedicated person to handle Bengaluru, as one needs to look after BBMP, BWSSB, BDA and other civic agencies and coordinate between these agencies. Bommai also holds another demanding portfolio of finance and he may not be able to do justice to Bengaluru. He also has to travel across the State and Delhi as chief minister.”