CM BS Yediyurappa’s wooing: Karnataka cabinet portfolios rejigged four times in five days

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa gave into pressure and reallocated Cabinet portfolios twice on Monday, making it four times in less than a week due to pressure from ministers, one of whom had threatened to resign.

Senior minister JC Madhuswamy, who was sulking, was appointed Minor Irrigation portfolio after he reportedly told Yediyurappa that he would consider resigning from the Cabinet after hoisting the tricolour on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Madhuswamy was made the minister for Tourism, Ecology and Environment. He told DH that he was unhappy with the portfolio. On January 21, Madhuswamy was made minister for Medical Education and Kannada & Culture. His second portfolio was later changed to Haj & Wakf.

Another unhappy minister K Sudhakar got back the Medical Education portfolio, making him once again in charge of this and the health department. It is said that Sudhakar mounted pressure on Yediyurappa to have the Medical Education portfolio returned to him.

Madhuswamy was the minister for law and minor irrigation. His grouse was with the divestment of the minor irrigation portfolio, which was given to CP Yogeeshwar whose very induction as a minister was opposed by a section of BJP leaders. Now, Yogeeshwar has been made minister for Tourism, Ecology & Environment.

Political circles are abuzz over theories related to Madhuswamy’s ‘demotion’ in terms of portfolios. As law minister, Madhuswamy had the mantle of defending the government during the legislature sessions. Not only has the law portfolio now gone to Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, a Yediyurappa loyalist, Madhswamy was also divested of minor irrigation, which went to Yogeeshwar, signifying Madhuswamy’s fall in prominence.

Also earlier in the day, Yediyurappa appointed Anand Singh as the minister for Infrastructure Development, Haj & Wakf. In fact, Yediyurappa had kept Infrastructure Development with himself thus far.

Singh, who is said to be sulking, told reporters in Hospet that the allocation of a smaller portfolio (he was earlier in charge of Forest) would be perceived as a reflection on his performance. "I will be answerable to everyone," he said. "I did not join the BJP eyeing a ministerial berth," he later told DH, adding that Yediyurappa was welcome to allocate his portfolios to other ministerial aspirants.