Ministers upset with Yediyurappa for giving plum portfolios to defectors

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa has called a BJP legislature party meeting on February 16, apparently to placate some ministers and MLAs who have been in a sulk since he inducted 10 defectors into the ministry.

The party said the meeting has been called to discuss floor management during the joint session of the legislature which will commence from Monday.

However, it is known that the allocation of choice portfolios to the newly appointed ministers, all turncoats who helped Yediyurappa pull down the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, has upset many BJP old timers and senior ministers.

Senior leaders including MLAs like Umesh Katti, S.A. Ramdas, Tippeswamy and S. Angara have openly expressed their displeasure at not being taken into the cabinet. Some party functionaries are upset with the chief minister for allotting plum portfolios to the new ministers, sources said

At the Feb. 16 legislature party meeting, the upset MLAs are likely to insist that long-time BJP workers be installed in state-run boards and corporations.

Some senior ministers are upset that they had to give up prime portfolios to the turncoats. These include K.S. Eshwarappa, Jagadish Shettar, R. Ashok, C.T.Ravi and Basvaraj Bommai.

The ministry most coveted is Bengaluru development . Revenue minister R. Ashok wants it, and so do newly inducted ministers S.T. Somashekar and B. Basvaraj. But the chief minister has kept it for himself.