The matter of inducting newly elected MLA Mahesh Kumathalli into the State Cabinet has become a bone of contention between Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the BJP high command, according to sources.
The Chief Minister had repeatedly assured party-hopper MLAs that all of them would be made Ministers. He is keen on inducting Mr. Kumathalli as well. However, the party’s central leadership is said to have blocked his candidature, clearing the names of 10 other newly elected MLAs.
Mr. Kumathalli, a close associate of Ramesh Jarkiholi, who led the rebellion against the Congress-JD(S) coalition government, had defeated the BJP’s Laxman Savadi in Athani in the 2018 Assembly elections. He later joined the BJP. But as Mr. Yediyurappa formed the government, the party high command imposed on him three deputies, in an apparent attempt to groom the “next-generation leadership”. One of them — Mr. Savadi, who belongs to the Lingayat community that the Chief Minister also belongs to — is said to be a choice Mr. Yediyurappa is reportedly not happy with.
The high command has now reasoned that the party cannot give two ministerial berths to the same Assembly constituency. This apparent attempt to safeguard the turf of the Lingayat leader of their choice has reportedly upset the Chief Minister. Sources say he is keen to induct Mr. Kumathalli as he had publicly promised to do so twice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kumathalli, who had said he was “deeply hurt” by the developments on Sunday, expressed confidence on Monday that the Chief Minister would not abandon him. “I have come out victorious in the chakravyuha of Belagavi politics. If Ramesh Jarkiholi stands first for making Yediyurappa Chief Minister, I will come only second in the order. Laxman Savadi was made a Deputy CM for party organisation purposes and I respect that. But that doesn’t mean I must pay the price. None of this mattered when I resigned and joined the BJP,” he said.
