No Question of Reconstitution of Ministry, says CM
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Nov 9: Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who bent backwards and virtually surrendered to the dictates of the dissident camp of legislators led by Bellary mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy for continuing in office, claimed that he was yet to decide on dropping ministers from his cabinet. But, within hours of his statement, state governor H R Bharadhwaj accepted the resignation of the rural development and panchayat raj minister Shobha Karandlaje.
The chief minister, who spoke to reporters in the morning after his return from Delhi last night following a truce worked out by the BJP high command at the residence of the ``self-avowed mother’’ of the Bellary Reddy brothers on Sunday, said the core committee of the state party leaders, which is expected to meet shortly as per the terms of the compromise worked out, would decide on which ministers to be dropped and when.
The core committee meeting is expected to be attended by BJP high command’s ace trouble-shooter and party in-charge for the state Arun Jaitely and Sushma Swaraj along with national general secretary Anant Kumar.
``As of now, there is no question of reconstitution of the ministry,’’ Yeddyurappa said on a day when he called on the state assembly speaker Jagadish Shettar, who had been projected by the Bellary mining lords as the alternative to replace Yeddyurappa, at his residence along with state BJP president D V Sadananda Gowda and also the state governor Bharadhwaj.
Yeddyurappa, who met most of his cabinet colleagues at his residence this morning and held consultations with them, described the visits as ``courtesy calls’’ and asked the media not to read political motives.
Incidentally, the revenue minister Gali Karunakara Reddy, who is the elder brother of Gali Janardhana Reddy, told reporters in Bellary that he would be touring the flood-affected districts for a week.
Asked about his comment describing the chief minister as the mythological ``Kamsa,’’ who was destroyed by Lord Krishna in the ``Kamsavadhe’’ episode in epic Mahabharata, Karunanakara Reddy said: ``It (kamsavadhe) has not happened.’’
To a question whether his remarks were indicative of the continuation of dissidence and who had won or lost, Karunakara Reddy quipped: ``It is for you to decide and interpret. I will not talk about who has won or lost. It is up to you to judge.’’
Though the resignation of his protégé Shobha Karandlaje, who had been accused of political interference in the functioning of other departments, was the most important demand of the dissidents along with change of leadership, the chief minister when the question was posed to him during his interaction with the media said: ``No, that question does not arise at all.’’
The chief minister said he had no objection or reservations about the setting up of the core committee by the party high command. ``It will lessen my burden besides giving me necessary guidance and directions whenever important issues crop up. I am happy that all sections of the party will be involved.’’
``I have already apologised to the people about the recent developments. We will get back to implementation of the rehabilitation package for the millions of flood-affected people of north Karnaka. I have to change my style of functioning, tone up the administration and governance,’’ he said asserting that he would complete the government’s full five-year term as chief minister.
Yeddyurappa said that those who had projected him as the chief minister during the assembly polls last year wanted him to continue for the full five year term. ``I will not allow this thing (dissidence) to recur again,’’ he said explaining that his government’s attention would be devoted to hastening relief and rehabilitation work in flood-hit areas.
``I did not allow the crisis to impact relief work. It has been going on,’’ he said.
The 45-year-old Shobha Karandlaje made it clear that he had no regret at the circumstances that led to her resignation. ``I have performed well and discharged my duties to the best of my abilities. I have served the party at different levels and also performed as minister. I am grateful to the chief minister and the party for the opportunities given to me,’’ she said pointing out that: ``I will be happy if my resignation helps in strengthening the government and the party.’’
The lone woman minister in the BJP regime is the first-time MLA from Yeshwantpur constitutency in the city. Known for her proximity and close rapport with the chief minister, the dissidents had made Shobha Karandlaje as their primary target along with chief minister’s principal secretary V P Baligar. Even before the truce was worked out by BJP high command after the intervention of Sushma Swaraj, Yeddyurappa had packed off Baligar to the commerce and industry department as principal secretary and appointed I S N Prasad as the replacement last week.
Meanwhile, the chief minister later told reporters that he was personally ``distressed’’ at having to accept the resignation of Shobha Karandlaje. ``She has performed exceedingly well. There is no doubt about her ability or calibre. But, sometimes, sacrifices are inevitable,’’ Yeddyurappa said.
All the dissident legislators, who had been taken by the Bellary mining lords for rest at the Novotel hotel in Hyderabad and the resorts of Goa returned to Bangalore. The returning dissident legislators were accorded a rousing reception at the Bangalore International Airport.