Bengaluru: After a minor spat broke out between Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Veerashaiva Panchamasali seer Vachanananda over the inclusion of the Panchamasali sect in the Cabinet berth, BJP leaders have come out in support the CM.
Speaking to the media, BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal slammed former minister Murugesh Nirani and the Panchamasali seer for exerting pressure on the CM.
“It is unfair to invite the CM for a jathre and exert pressure on him. I condemn Murugesh Nirani’s move to pressurise Yediyurappa through Vachanananda Swamiji,” he said.
Lashing out at seer Vachanananda and Nirani, Yatnal said, “Where was the Swamiji when the state was reeling under the devastating floods? Murugesh Niriani’s move will not be acceptable to his own community members. The seer said that Murugesh has done a lot. When he was minister, he was able to open only four or five factories. What favours has Murugesh done for CM Yediyurappa other than paying him some money?”
“As Chief Minister, Yediyurappa has to serve all communities equally. The seer cannot demand things from the CM,” he added.
Expressing his support to BSY, he said, “I have made it clear that I will not demand a ministerial berth. I will develop my constituency but will not demand a ministerial berth.”
Newly elected BJP MLA Anand Singh, reacting to the incident, said, “CM promised that he would induct us into the Cabinet, but he is facing a few issues. We need to understand his dilemma instead of exerting pressure on him and wait for a favourable time. The hope is that the Cabinet will be expanded after Jan 20.”
