Just as Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai allocated ministerial berths, there were some covert and some overt expressions of unhappiness from some quarters.
B.S. Anand Singh, MLA for Vijayanagar, expressed his discontentment over the Tourism portfolio allocated to him. He made it clear that it was not the portfolio he had sought and would once again request the Chief Minister to consider his demand.
‘Expected bigger’
Recalling his role in toppling the Janata Dal (Secular)–Congress government and bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party to power, Mr. Singh said he was expecting a “bigger portfolio.” He hinted at refusing the portfolio and remaining as a member of the Assembly.
Shashikala Jolle, who lost Women and Child Development Department and was given Muzrai and Wakf in the new Cabinet, was reportedly “very upset” though not publicly. While a sting operation that allegedly showed her seeking bribes in a contract to supply eggs to schoolchildren was blamed for the Ministry being taken away, Ms. Jolle has claimed it was a “conspiracy”. She reportedly expressed her displeasure that despite being the lone woman in the Cabinet, Women and Child Development Department was not given to her. Ms. Jolle was not on the list of Ministers and was included in the eleventh hour reportedly at the behest of BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh.
Senior Minister B. Sriramulu is also reportedly upset over the portfolios he has been made in charge of — Transport and the newly carved out Scheduled Tribes Welfare from the Social Welfare Department. He earlier held the charge of the entire Social Welfare Ministry, which he was keen on retaining. He reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over how the party first gave him charge of Health and Family Welfare, took it away from him, gave Social Welfare and took that away too. However, Mr. Sriramulu tweeted welcoming the portfolios allocated.
Not ‘reserved’
Meanwhile, Ramesh Jarkiholi, a prominent leader among the defectors who is out of the Ministry in view of the sexual harassment charge against him, is reportedly upset that Water Resources, the portfolio he handled under B.S. Yediyurappa, has not been kept “reserved” for him but allocated to Govind Karjol.
However, Mr. Bommai said it was natural to have discontent after any Cabinet formation. He said Mr. Singh was his “old friend” and he would discuss the issue with him.
