Members of the Belagavi District Ganiga Samaj demanded that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai induct at least one member from the Ganiga community into his Cabinet.
“We have long been supporters of the BJP. But it seems Mr. Bommai has betrayed the trust our community placed on the party,” samaj president Ramappa Utagi said in Belagavi on Friday.
He demanded that Member of Legislative Council Laxman Savadi be made a Minister in the State and Member of Parliament from Bagalkot P.C. Gaddigoudar be made a Union Minister.
“There are around 60 lakh Ganiga community members in the State and around 3 lakh of them are in Belagavi district. We are in sizeable numbers in eight-10 Lok Sabha seats and we can influence the poll results. The BJP should be sensitive to our demands,’’ he said.
He urged the party national leadership to consider the selfless service of Mr. Savadi and his family members during the lockdown and floods. Mr. Savadi has also worked tirelessly to ensure the victory of party nominees in the byelections in North Karnataka and in the general elections in some constituencies in Maharashtra. This should be rewarded, he said.
