Responding to Ballari MLA G. Somashekhar Reddy, who had recently demanded Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to replace Infrastructure Development & Wakf Minister B.S. Anand Singh with Social Welfare Minister B. Sriramulu as incharge of Ballari district, Mr. Singh expressed his readiness to quit his post for Mr. Sriramulu.
“If Mr. Reddy wants to replace me with Mr. Sriramulu as Ballari in-charge Minister, I am ready. I would wholeheartedly welcome Mr. Sriramulu’s appointment as Ballari in-charge Minister. I am very particular that either Mr. Sriramulu or I be the in-charge Minister. I won’t accept a third person for the job. If somebody from outside who doesn’t know about Ballari is appointed, development would be hampered. If anybody attempts to replace me other than Mr. Sriramulu, I will meet the Chief Minister and request him to let me continue in the post,” Mr. Singh told media representatives in Ballari on Tuesday.
When asked whether he would accept Mr. Reddy for the post, Mr. Singh said that only Ministers were eligible for the post and Mr. Reddy was not a Minister. “If the Chief Minister inducts Mr. Reddy into the Council of Ministers and then hands over the Ballari in charge, I don’t have any problem,” he said.
