JOIN USBJP promises party tickets for Jarkiholi's men
A BJP faction led by Municipal Administration Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi is understood to have succeeded in getting an assurance from the party high command that its members would get party tickets to contest the next Assembly elections.
BJP Karnataka in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, who held talks with Jarkiholi late on Friday evening, is learnt to have said the party would not unnecessarily deny tickets to anybody in the coming elections. Pradhan has, in turn, asked the minister to not indulge in rebel activities.
The Jarkiholi faction had set a deadline of September 6 for the party to concede to its demands, including tickets to contest the next elections.
A majority of the BJP MLAs who have identified themselves with Jarkiholi are those whose Assembly memberships were restored by the Supreme Court after being disqualified by the Speaker for anti-party activities in 2010.
Some of the MLAs had also allegedly cross-voted during the Rajya Sabha elections held a few months ago.
The MLAs, as a result, were apprehensive that the party would deny them tickets.
“Pradhan has promised that tickets will be given to all. He has also promised to resolve all issues within a week’s time. Hence, we have decided not to hold any meeting,” Jarkiholi said.
On the demand for re-allocation of portfolios, Pradhan is learnt to have said it will be done in a week’s time and Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has been asked to take an appropriate decision in this regard. Jarkiholi had demanded the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board (KUWSSB), along with the existing portfolio. But he is most likely to get only KUIDFC and KUWSSB, sources said.
Sources said senior minister Govind Karjol had been insisting that he should be allowed to keep the existing portfolios of Kannada and Culture and Minor Irrigation, besides being given Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), which is currently held by Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa. But he would be allowed to keep only minor irrigation and would get RDPR, sources said.
On appointments to various boards and corporations, Pradhan and senior State party leaders are learnt to have decided to initiate the process of preparing a list of probable candidates.