Nalin Kumar Kateel to BS Yediyurappa: It’s time to deliver

Bengaluru: The month-old Yediyurappa government reportedly came under the scanner at the state Bharatiya Janata Party’s core committee meeting with the members emphasising that there was no honeymoon period for it and it had to get started on delivering the goods.

Observing that most of the ministers had not even begun interacting with state officials after they took charge, BJP state president  Nalin Kumar Kateel said that the public perception was that the government was busy with transfers and had not yet got into work mode. “This is the time to deliver the goods,” he said. The  core committee, however, hailed the effort of Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in single-handedly monitoring the flood relief work in North Karnataka before the Cabinet expansion.  

Mr. Kateel is said to have promised all help from the party in carrying out the flood relief work.

As for appointments to state boards and corporations, the committee members, including Mr Kateel reportedly felt the government should consider only loyal workers of the party for the posts.

But Mr Yediyurappa is said to have disagreed with it views, arguing  that the government had to take the suggestions of the local MLAs when making such appointments. Making any appointments without consulting  the legislators would lead to problems, he warned.

On the  arrest of former minister and senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar, the  committee felt that both the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) were trying to give the issue a caste colour and instigate the Vokkaligas against the Bharatiya Janata Party government.  

In these circumstances, the members felt the situation needed sensitive handling  and advised against a  confrontationist approach, according to sources.