BENGALURU: The musical chairs of portfolio allocation in the Karnataka cabinet that was reshuffled four times in five days has left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. From Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, whose office’s clarity of decision making is being questioned by cabinet colleagues and party workers, to ministers whose portfolios were changed multiple times or cadres, nobody seems to be happy even after multiple reshuffles.
While the opposition tore into the BJP for the multiple changes in portfolios, workers within the BJP are worried about pressure tactics being rewarded. Some have even expressed their concerns with the Central leadership.
“My portfolio was changed twice but I kept mum. I found it insulting after it was changed a third time and told the Chief Minister that I would like to resign. But I was convinced by elders against it,” said JC Madhuswamy, who was allocated the Minor Irrigation portfolio on Monday night.
Between January 21 and 25, portfolios of Madhuswamy were changed four times juggling between Minor irrigation and Law plus Parliamentary affairs, Medical Education plus Kannada & culture, Medical Education plus Haj and Wakf, Tourism plus Ecology, environment and finally concluded with the Minor Irrigation department. BJP sources suggested that apart from party leaders, seers of Lingayat mutts too had to intervene to broker peace between an agitated Madhuswamy and Yediyurappa.
Meanwhile, other ministers, like Anand Singh, Narayana Gowda and MTB Nagaraj, have been approaching other senior leaders of the party. “Changing my portfolio without even letting me complete a year makes it look like I did a bad job as a minister,” Singh is said to have told a national BJP leader.
There is also a grouse among old-timers that the apparent “sacrifices” of newcomers like Dr K Sudhakar, Ramesh Jarkiholi and others who joined the party in 2019 are being weighed heavier than their loyalty to the party and Yediyurappa. Party sources said that their woes over the chief minister succumbing to pressure tactics, either in the form of protest or threat, have also been conveyed to the Central leadership.
Madhuswamy gets stronger with minor irrigation back in kitty
Tumakuru: By managing to get his favourite minor irrigation portfolio back in his kitty after many changes over the last five days, J C Madhuswamy has proved himself to be a strong Lingayat leader within BJP as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa reportedly budged under pressure from different corners. “An RSS leader too had backed Madhuswamy. The leader convinced him not to put in his papers on Monday,” said Sathish, a close associate of Madhuswamy.
“My loyalty was taken for granted as my portfolio was changed thrice in nine days. I turned a rebel as I was hurt,” Madhuswamy told The New Indian Express after taking part in the 72nd Republic Day celebrations here on Tuesday. “I wanted any portfolio that connected me to the rural life and agriculture. I am okay now as I got minor irrigation,” he said.