Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has made two key appointments, in what is being seen as an attempt to check dissidence ahead of elections to the Rajya Sabha and state Legislative Council later this month. Yediyurappa has appointed former Congress leader Ramesh Jarkiholi - who was reportedly been at the helm of dissident activities which led to the fall of the Congress-JDS government last year - as minister in-charge of Belagavi district. The CM has also appointed his grandnephew N R Santhosh - who is said to have played a central role in arranging logistics for those dissident activities - as his political secretary to end a brief period of estrangement.
Jarkiholi’s appointment as minister in-charge of Belagavi - which is his home district - and Santhosh as political secretary comes in the wake of murmurs of dissidence brewing in the Karnataka BJP ahead of Rajya Sabha polls scheduled on June 19, and Council polls to be held soon.
A group of BJP MLAs led by senior leaders like Umesh Katti, Murugesh Nirani and a dozen others, who have been aspiring for a cabinet berth, have reportedly emerged as a source of dissident activities in the state BJP. The group reportedly held a meeting in February and another a few days ago, prompting Yediyurappa to initiate measures to prevent the spread of dissidence, especially to other disgruntled leaders like Jarkiholi.
“I have not participated in any dissident meetings. I am a disciplined BJP worker,” said Nirani, at whose home a meeting was reportedly held. “It was a meeting of friends which has been projected as a meeting of dissidents,” he said in a video statement after pictures emerged of a meeting featuring him, Katti and S A Ramdas, all former ministers.
Brushing aside reports of dissidence, Yediyurappa said, “We are focused on doing what is needed for the state.” He also stated that Katti would be made a minister at the right time. The murmurs of dissidence have re-emerged at a time when MLAs are due to elect four new members to the Rajya Sabha on June 19 on account of the retirement of Prabhakar Kore (BJP), M V Rajeev Gowda and B K Hariprasad (Congress) and real estate businessman Kupendra Reddy (JDS).
Given its strength of 116 members, the BJP can elect two persons to the Rajya Sabha. The retiring educationist Kore, who is from Belagavi, is keen on another term and reportedly enjoys the support of the BJP high command. The Katti brothers of Belagavi, who are allies of the Jarkiholis, are pushing for the candidature of Umesh Katti’s brother Ramesh Katti, while the BJP high command is reportedly keen on sending an eminent person and the names of Sudha Murthy and K V Kamath are in circulation.
The last date of nomination is June 9. Seven members of the Legislative Council are set to retire on June 30 and elections are likely to be announced soon. The BJP is poised to win most of the seats on account of its 116 members compared to 68 of the Congress and 34 of JDS.
