Convene MLAs meet immediately, Karnataka govt chief whip tells Kateel

The meeting was convened due to ministers publicly expressing their concerns regarding delay of cabinet expansion

Government Chief Whip and BJP legislator V Sunil Kumar has asked the party’s state president Nalin Kumar Kateel to immediately convene a meeting of MLAs to put an end to leaders washing dirty linen in public.

In a letter to Kateel, Kumar has expressed concern over ministers, legislators and party leaders making public statements over the delayed Cabinet expansion and nominations to various state-run boards and corporations.

Kumar urged Kateel to convene a meeting of MLAs so that they can express their views on a party forum. "These public remarks (by ministers and MLAs) have hurt thousands of party workers and well wishers, who are working under a common ideology,” Kumar, who represents Karkala and is said to be a ministerial aspirant, said.

Read | Will get to know about Karnataka cabinet expansion or reshuffle in 2-3 days: CM B S Yediyurappa

The delay in Cabinet expansion has given rise to groupism within the BJP with leaders belonging to different factions hobnobbing. Plus, some of them have publicly expressed their disgruntlement. Particularly, the possibility of MLC CP Yogeeshwar becoming a minister has divided the party, leading to a ‘native vs migrant’ debate.

Natives are older BJP MLAs whereas the migrants are those who jumped ship from the Congress-JD(S) last year.

“Without discriminating between natives and migrants, they must be made to remember the disciplinary framework of the party. I am confident that you will do that immediately," Kumar told Kateel.

The Karkala MLA said that legislators like himself had to express their views on these developments within the party forum. "We would like to share our views regarding developments under the current BJP government, its decisions and activities within the party. The suggestions we offer will help in further strengthening the party and ensuring more efficient administration by the state government," he said.