While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command is said to be averse to the idea of creating new Deputy Chief Minister posts, lobbying for it has continued, with pressure mounting from Health Minister B. Sriramulu’s camp.
In Bengaluru, the Minister met B.L. Santhosh, general secretary (organisation) of the party, and later told reporters that it was his supporters who were keen on him being made a Deputy Chief Minister. He claimed that he was willing to abide by the party’s decision.
In Ballari, Somashekhar Reddy, MLA for Ballari city and a close associate of Mr. Sriramulu, said it was “the people’s demand”. “Sriramulu is a strong leader of the Valmiki community, and his community, as well as the people in general, want to see him as Deputy Chief Minister,” he told journalists on Monday.
Disgruntled fans and followers of Mr. Sriramulu have been expressing their anger and dissatisfaction on social media over the government and Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa not considering the leader as a candidate for Deputy Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, in Chitradurga, Nalin Kumar Kateel, State president of the BJP, said that Mr. Yediyurappa would take a call on these matters. On the matter of lobbying, he said, “Everyone aspires to become a Minister, but we will see [to it] that justice is done to all the districts.”
