JOIN USPolitical observers say that Yeddyurappa systematically weakened the team led by the Reddys that had rebelled against him in last October, by making moves such as the ban on export of iron ore and also breaking away key backers of the Reddys.
Facing several court cases pertaining to their mining business, the Reddys are now not in a position to antagonise the Chief Minister and the Party. Yeddyurappa turned Renukacharya, once pointman for the Reddys, into his loyalist by making him a minister. Shettar, projected as an alternative to Yeddyurappa by the Reddys last year is now a minister and does not want to rock the boat.
In a master stroke, Yeddyurappa, it is said, had packed off two dozen MLAs along with Renukacharya to the US prior to beginning the exercise of Cabinet expansion, pre-empting pressure from aspirants. The MLAs returned to Bangalore only a day before the swearing-in ceremony.
Belur Gopalakrishna, who had threatened to resign as MLA if not given a ministerial berth, had to swallow his words. Flanked by Renukacharya and others, he said he changed his plan after interacting with his “friends”.
Tainted Gowda gets plum post
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday appointed former minister Ramachandra Gowda on Wednesday as the Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board.
The post had become vacant following the election of incumbent D H Shankaramurthy as Legislative Council Chairman. Gowda, who held the medical education portfolio, had to resign recently after being embroiled in a controversy over alleged irregularities in recruitment of staff for two state-run medical colleges in Hassan and Mysore. The Chief Minister had asked him to resign as the minister.
Profiles
A Narayanaswamy, MLA
Caste: Scheduled Caste
Age: 53
Education: BA
Marital status: Married to Vijaya Kumari; has 3 children
Career: Narayanaswamy began his political career as member of Anekal town municipal council. He was elected to the Assembly in a by-election in 1998. Since then he has won from Anekal for four times. He enjoys reputation in the party for nurturing the party in Anekal, where the party had no base before his entry into the BJP. He had thought his sheer hard work would make space for him in the Cabinet in 2008. But it did not. His supporters had to demand the Chief Minister to give him a ministerial berth.
Shobha Karandlaje, MLA
Caste: Vokkaliga (Bunt)
Age: 44
Education: MSW
Marital status: Unmarried
Career: Shobha, a native of Puttur, identified with Sangha Parivar since her college days. She succeeded to win from Yeshwanthpur, a new place for her, and secure a berth in the Cabinet. But, her fast growth in politics did not go well with many in the party. Being first time MLA, she managed to get a key portfolio like the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in 2008.
She had to resign as minister in last November, yielding to pressure from rebels in the party who were aspiring to get ministerial berths. The Chief Minister could do nothing but shed tears over her exit. Now Shobha is back.
C H Vijayashankar, MLC
Caste: Kuruba (OBC)
Age: 54
Education: BA (LLB)
Marital status: Married to Babitha and has a daughter and a son
Career: A native of Haveri moved to Hunsur during his college days. He began his political career by winning Hunsur Assembly seat in 1994 on the BJP ticket. He was MP twice from Mysore - 1998 and 2004. He was defeated in the Lok Sabha polls in 1999 and 2009. After he suffered defeat in the last Lok Sabha elections,
the BJP elected him as MLC from the
Assembly.
Vijayashankar is appointed minister for the first time. He is the lone Kuruba representative in the Cabinet.
V Somanna, MLC
Caste: Lingayat
Age: 60
Education: BA
Marital status: Married to G Shylaja; 2 sons are doctors and daughter, an engineer
Career: Somanna, a four-time MLA, was in all the three major parties in the State. He began his career with the Janata Dal and moved to the Congress. He shifted his loyalty to the BJP and in particular, Yeddyurappa. His career took a nosedive when he lost the by-poll to Govindarajnagar constituency in 2009. He had to resign as Housing and Muzrai minister. He was embarrassed when the Governor refused to give his assent for his nomination to the Legislative Council. The BJP managed to get him elected to the Council from the Assembly and re-induct into the Cabinet.
C C Patil, MLA
Caste: Lingayat
Age: 52
Education: PUC
Marital status: Married to Shobha; has 4 children
Career: He began his career as Zilla Panchayat member in Belgaum district in 1995. He contested for the Assembly from Nargund in 1999 on the JD ticket and suffered a defeat. He joined the BJP in 2004 and represented Nargund in the Assembly. He won from the constituency for second time in 2008.
Patil is considered as a close confidante of Yeddyurappa.
He was appointed parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister in 2008. Now he is minister.
S A Ramdas, MLA
Caste: Brahmin
Age: 52
Education: BA
Marital status: Unmarried
Career: Ramdas began his political career with the Congress. But, later joined the BJP. He is a three-time MLA from Krishnaraja in Mysore. He got elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1994, 1999 and 2008. He has been president of employees union of Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudrana Private Ltd (BRBNMPL).
Ramdas has been a contender for a ministerial berth since the BJP came to power in 2008. He expressed his disappointment for not getting Cabinet berth by skipping Assembly sessions though he was parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister.