No berths for Reddys till AG gives clean chit

“As the State government has sought the opinion from the AG on the Lokayukta report, including the alleged involvement of all the former ministers and their associates, till they get a clean chit from the AG none should be made ministers,” sources in the BJP told Deccan Herald.

The AG is likely to convene his opinion after studying the voluminous report in a week’s time, sources said.

Gowda, who was in Delhi on Friday to meet Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, also  met senior BJP leaders including party president Nitin Gadkari, L K Advani and Arun Jaitley.
During the meeting, the party leaders have advised the chief minister to take up all exercise, including cabinet expansion, appointment of chairmen for boards and corporations and changes of portfolio, only after the completion of Anna Hazare’s protest fast.

Speaking to reporters, Gowda said the party leaders have advised him to focus on administration and strengthening the party on priority basis. To a question on inducting Reddy brothers, he said he had no problem in inducting the Reddy brothers as ministers but they should come clean first.

The Reddy brothers have been pushing for the induction of at least one of their associates as cabinet ministers and they have also suggested former health minister B Sriramulu’s for cabinet minister immediately.   However, Gowda had asked for the AG’s opinion on all the former ministers named in the Lokayukta report. While suggesting Sriramulu’s name, Reddy’s have argued that there was no charge against him in the Lokayukta report.  

Bellary brothers have also pointed out that as Sriramulu belongs to the Nayaka community, which has strong presences in three districts including Bellary, making him a minister would help the party to further strengthen its base in these areas.