JOIN USWe want sinecures, say MLAs
At the meeting heldin the comforts of a resort on the outskirts of Bangalore, BJP MLAs reportedly targeted some Ministers for their “style of functioning” and alleged inaccessibility. It was also suggested that Ministers be put in charge of only districts from where they were elected.
The BJPLP meeting was organised following an assurance given by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa last week that he would give all disgruntled legislators in the party a patient hearing.
The Chief Minister has assured the legislators that their demands will be placed before the core committee, which is scheduled to meet in second week of January. It is learnt that all the present heads of various boards and corporations would be asked to tender their resignations and fresh appointments would be made taking everybody into confidence before the commencement of budget session. The Cabinet reshuffle would be effected after the session.
According to party sources, several legislators were of the view that there was regional and caste imbalance in the composition of the Cabinet. Besides, the present Ministers in the Cabinet had been given sufficient time to prove their efficiency. It was time that non-preforming ministers were dropped and party seniors and loyalists were given ministerial berths, it was suggested at the meeting, sources added.
Controversial MLA M P Renukacharya’s induction into the Cabinet also led to criticism by few senior legislators who said the Yeddyurappa should not have bowed to “blackmail tactics”, the sources.
Renukacharya, however did not attend the meeting as he was participating in town panchayat polling in his Honnali constituency.
The style of functioning of some Ministers also came under the scanner at Monday’s meeting. The common complaint was that Ministers were not accessible even during personal visit and were sometimes “downright arrogant”. It was time that such Minister change their attitude or be dropped from the Cabinet, it was suggested, the sources said.
Meanwhile, former minister S K Bellubi, is said to have raised the issue of the recent dissidence in the party and stated that the situation would not have arisen if there been adequate consultation process before taking major decisions. He also suggested that legislators be made Minister on a rotation basis for 20 months each, the sources added.
Briefing reporters after the seven-hour long meeting, the party State unit President D V Sadananda Gowda said as many as 39 legislators spoke in a “cordial” atmosphere. “All the legislators have been directed to resolve any problem internal within the party. At no cost, the party will tolerate if the legislators go to the media about the internal affairs of the party. Strict action will be initiated against the legislators if they violate the direction,” he said.
Besides Renukacharya, 12 MLAs, five MLCs, five Lok Sabha MPs and one Rajya Sabha MP did not make it to Monday’s meeting and a majority of them had sought prior permission to do so, Gowda added.
MLAs Thippeswamy, Chandrakanth Bellad and MLCs Vijay Sankeshwar and Madhu Madegowda had remained absent without citing any reason, he said.