UDUPI: BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Sunday said 30 percent of ministers in the Union Cabinet belong to Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes. His statement comes at a time when a fresh round of war of words has erupted between the BJP and Congress over naming a member belonging to the SC community as chief minister.
After participating in a paddy field rejuvenation programme in Parkala near Udupi, the Dakshina Kannada MP said it was the BJP that made an SC leader the President and Congress has done nothing for SC/ST communities. “So, the challenge posed to the BJP by other political parties questioning its commitment to SC/ST leaders does not have any meaning,” Katel said.
Reacting to Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah’s challenge to the BJP to make an SC leader state’s next chief minister, Kateel said that it was Siddaramaiah who sidelined G Parameshwar during his tenure as chief minister. “After he became the CM, Siddaramaiah buried the discussion on making an SC leader the chief minister,” Kateel added.
On change of leadership in Karnataka, Kateel said, “As the president of the party in the state, I don’t have
any information. Whatever information I have is from the media.”Praising BS Yediyurappa, Kateel said the chief minister gave priority to farmers by presenting the state’s first farmers’ budget. “He also waived farm loans.”