HK BJP leaders disappointed over raw deal

The Hyderabad-Karnataka region, which boasted of nine ministers in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, got a raw deal in Yediyurappa’s government with just one representation.

Despite having 16 BJP MLAs from six districts in the HK region, only Prabhu Chauhan (Aurad segment in Bidar) was drafted into the ministry.

Out of 40 assembly segments in six districts of Hyderabad-Karnataka, the BJP won 15 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections and one in bypoll held to Chincholi Assembly segment, recently.

BJP has five MLAs in the once-Congress bastion of Kalaburagi district followed by three each in Koppal and Ballari districts, Raichur and Yadgir districts have two BJP MLAs each while Bidar has one.

Failed to make the cut

Dattatreya Patil Revoor from Gulbarga South Assembly segment, Subhas Guttedar from Aland and Rajkumar Telkur (Sedam) were strong contenders for the ministerial berths in Kalaburagi district. Also, the MLC and party’s district unit president B G Patil was in the hunt for a berth.

Rajugouda (Shorapur in Yadgir district) and Shivanagouda Naik (Devadurg), both close aides of Yediyurappa, were aspiring for ministership.

Similarly, Halappa Achar (Yelburga) and Paranna Munavalli (Gangavathi) in Koppal district were keen to make the cut into Yediyurappa’s Cabinet. Ballari district which emerged as “power centre” during the previous BJP rule in the state, went unrepresented this time, despite having three MLAs.

Resentment brews

Dattatreya Patil, Rajugouda Naik and Shivanagouda Naik expressed their anguish for being ignored for the ministership.

Speaking to DH, Kalaburagi City BJP district president B G Patil said, “We were expecting at least one cabinet berth for the district. I was also one of the aspirants for the minister post. The final list approved by the high command has a mix of Yediyurappa’s confidants and the party loyalists.”

Congress leader Allamaprabhu Patil said, “Even though the highest number of BJP MLAs were elected from this region, the
BJP is playing with the sentiments of the people by not according a priority to this region in the Cabinet,” he charged.

Newly inducted minister Prabhu Chauhan doesn’t know Kannada, English or Hindi properly. How will he handle the ministry, Patil sought to know.