Bengaluru: Many legislators missed cabinet berth on Wednesday August 4 when formed but they continue to be loyal to the party. While many legislators expressed their anguish for missing berth, three legislators who have won seats over five times have remained disciplined soldiers of the party.
Krishnaraja Constituency MLA A. S. Rama das missed the berth this time. But even before formation of Cabinet Ramadas declared that he would never lobby for ministership and would not be anguished if missed. The former minister Ramadas who has RSS background missed berth in B. S. Yediyurappa’s Cabinet too. MLA Ramadas also had held the post of Medical Education Minister in Yediyurappa’s Cabinet from 2010 to 2013.
BJP MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty from Kundapur Constituency in Udupi district too has won seats five times. In the year 2012 he quit the party when he was denied the Cabinet berth at the last moment. Later, he won as an independent candidate in the year 2013 only to be back to party in 2018. He is also called as Vajpayee of Kundapur. Even before the selection of Chief Minister he declared that he will never go to any leader nor lobby for ministerial berth. He also made an impassionate plea to BJP top brass including State Party Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel to consider him for a minister’s post based on his contribution to party. “Kindly don’t give me a minister’s post based on caste equations or caste considerations. If at all you want to make me a minister, consider my work for the party over the years,” he said.
The five time MLA and former minister M. P. Appachu Ranjan from Madikeri Constituency is another MLA, who missed the berth. Appachu Ranjan who has been gaining more number of votes from election to election is also a popular leader in his region. He also has served as Minister for Sports and Youth Service in BSY’s Cabinet in 2011. Responding to reporters’ questions regarding missing berth, he said that he did not request for post and also is not worried. Ranjan, who also has RSS background has strived hard to build base in Kodagu district.
Among 29 ministers in Basavaraj Bommai’s Cabinet, only 6 have won seats five times or more.
