BENGALURU: At least six ministers of the BS Yediyurappa Cabinet — all of them who quit the Congress-JDS coalition and joined the BJP in 2019 — created a stir on Thursday evening when they rushed to the Chief Minister’s office soon after the Cabinet meeting. While the group of ministers heading into the Chief Minister’s office -- armed with letters -- sparked off speculation of mass resignations, given their history from 2019, all of them denied even considering resigning as an option.
“We aren’t fools to resign from the Cabinet. We are members of the party and will abide by the high command’s decision. I had some transfer requests with me, and not a resignation letter. 2019 and 2021 are very different. Such a situation hasn’t risen,” BC Patil, Minister for Agriculture, told The New Indian Express, adding that speculation on mass resignations were laughable.
Even as Yediyurappa on Thursday said he was awaiting instructions from the central leadership on July 25 for his next course of action, the ministers, who met the former — Dr K Sudhakar, BC Patil, MTB Nagaraj, Byrati Basavaraj, ST Somashekhar, Shivaram Hebbar — insisted that they too were bound by the party’s decision. “We accepted Yediyurappa’s leadership and the BJP’s ideology and discipline while joining the party. We will do as the high command decides. We went to speak to the Chief Minister because we have worked with him over the last one-and-a-half-years and it is only humane to be by his side as long as he continues to be Chief Minister,” Dr Sudhakar said, almost as it to confirm Yediyurappa’s exit.
Even as he said that there was no question of resigning, MTB Nagaraj added that he would resign if asked to by the party’s leadership. Sources close to the CM, however, said that the ministers expressed their concern over the change of leadership and its impact on their positions in the government and the party.
Yediyurappa is said to have told the ministers to not give up and wait for the party’s decision before coming to a conclusion. “Even the central leadership knows that BJP has come to power because of the 17 of us, who quit the coalition and joined them. It is public knowledge and the party too has great regard for it,” observed one of the newcomers, insisting that their contributions be not overlooked.
IRRIGATION WORKS WORTH Rs 8,800 CRORE CLEARED IN ONE SWEEP
BENGALURU : The government on Thursday approved Rs 8,800 crore worth of work, to be taken up by Vishveshwariah Jal Nigam Limited, Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam Limited and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited.
Sources said the approval to call tenders for taking up canal construction, remodelling, upgradation and other works related to irrigation projects were cleared at board meetings chaired by CM BS Yediyurappa on Thursday. Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited board meeting is scheduled to be held on Friday.
Former CM HD Kumaraswamy accused the government of clearing projects worth Rs 12,000 crore in hurry. An official in the Chief Minister’s Office refused to comment on the decisions taken at the board meetings.