District In-charge Minister Varthur Prakash, who is also State Textile Minister, has been retained in the new Cabinet that took charge on Thursday, much to the chagrin of the local BJP members.
“We had not demanded that a BJP member from the district get a minister’s post. But the Kolar unit of the party has been sidelined heavily and we fear further it will be degraded further,” said Om Shakti Chalapathi, president of the BJP Youth Forum.
Varthur, who is an independent candidate, became minister having supported the BJP.
But he has since worked with vested interest, which has only denied proper chances to strengthen the party in the district, said Chalapathi.
“We would therefore welcome if he joined the BJP and continue in the post of the District In-charge Minister. Otherwise, we want a BJP legislator to take over the post,” he demanded.
N Lakshmaiah, district president of the BJP, said, “We had earlier put across the demand to the State leaders of the party, but with the decision to continue the ministers from the previous government, the demand was rejected.”
Meena transfer
The only contribution of Varthur Prakash as District In-charge Minister has been the transfer of a diligent, honest and capable officer, former deputy commissioner Manoj Kumar Meena, alleged K Srinivas Gowda, former minister.
He was addressing a meeting of JD(S) activists at Kamadhenuhalli in the taluk on Thursday.
“Meena was a rare, fearless officer, who gave no leeway to anybody. Varthur was upset that the DC did not heed his words or bend to his whims and instead tried to prevent the sand mafia rampant in the district.
He made sure Meena was transferred from Kolar, which has badly affected the implementation of several important projects in Kolar,” said Srinivas Gowda.
He further accused the minister of undertaking corrupt activities that also hindered progress of the district.
