Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister, B. S. Yediyurappa’s political secretary, M. P. Renukacharya on Thursday made a U-turn stating that “17-legislators” who sacrificed their political future are worthy of becoming ministers in the state cabinet.
For the last two days, Renukacharya had been making statements that it was because of 105 BJP MLAs the 17 MLAs who quit Congress and Janata Dal (S) were enjoying ministerial posts.
This statement had certainly angered MLAs who had quit their parent parties and joined the BJP to help incumbent Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa to form the government.
The debate was turning ugly, with ministerial aspirants like M. T. B. Nagaraj and A. H. Vishwanath taking him on publicly.
The ongoing public spat between Renukacharya and 17 legislators’ camp was also giving an impression that Yediyurappa was not in firm control of the party.
Speaking to reporters, Renukacharya said that he never had a slightest doubt about 17 legislators helping the BJP to come to power in the state in 2019. “I have never questioned their ability to become ministers but I was only highlighting that the ruling party has 105 MLAs who are also equally capable to be ministers. The ruling party leaders like Yediyurappa should take a call on these matters,” he said.
Rebutting Renukacharya, Nagaraj who is an aspirant for the cabinet berth had questioned him if 105 MLAs were powerful, why did they not form the government immediately after the 2018 assembly elections?
“Renukacharya must refrain from insulting us. He has every right to demand ministerial berth for him or someone else. So are we. We never said that Yediyurappa should not accommodate others in his cabinet,” he said.
It is worth noting here, that 14 legislators from Congress and three from JD(S) had rebelled in 2019 to pull down the Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by H. D. Kumarswamy. This paved the way for BJP leader Yediyurappa to stake claim to form government and become CM in 2019.
