JOIN USWhen the imbroglio over filling the vacant four cabinet berths in the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah still remains to be solved, Upparas have placed a demand for giving due representation to the community.
Upparas, one of the backward communities in the State, form a chunk of their population in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts. C Puttarangashetty who was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly from Chamarajanagar constituency in the recently concluded Assembly elections, is the lone MLA from the very tribe among 223 MLAs in the State legislature.
Siddaramaiah who was in the city on May 20, made a flying visit to the Uppara Students Hostel on Kantharaja Urs road in Saraswathipuram. Leading a bunch of community elders, Purushothamanandapuri Mahaswamiji of Bhagiratha Uppara Peeth (mutt of Uppara) petitioned to the Chief Minister that Puttarangashetty be made a minister. Puttarangashetty is a second time MLA. Apart from the legislator, the seer is also learnt to have demanded for a berth in either boards or corporations to Hanumantha Shetty, honorary president of Mysore and Chamarajanagar Zilla Uppara Sangha and Vishakantaiah, working president of the sangha.
It is learnt that Siddaramaiah has positively responded to the demand.
Gundlupet MLA H S Mahadeva Prasad already represents Chamarajanagar district in the cabinet.