Belgaum: The district unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expressed happiness and thanked Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa for giving another ministerial berth to a legislator from Belgaum.

In fact, the BJP has been demanding one more ministerial berth for one of its eight MLAs from the district ever since the Janata Dal (Secular)-BJP coalition came to power. Now, with inclusion of Shashikant Akkappa Naik in the second expansion of the Cabinet on Wednesday, the district has two ministers, including Social Welfare Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi.

Born on April 1, 1960, in his native village Hosur in Hukkeri taluk, Mr. Naik did not pursue his education beyond Pre-University (Arts) and joined Raitha Sangha movement in his early days. He unsuccessfully contested for the State Assembly seat from Hukkeri in 1994. He continued to work for farmers and deprived sections of his taluk.

His major contributions include establishment of Hukkeri Electricity Co-operative Society and Bharatiya Rural Education Society. He is also a founder member of Sangam Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane. He is working to establish a maize research centre at Hidkal dam village in Hukkeri taluk.

At a time when the BJP had no potential candidate to field against former Minister Umesh Katti in Hukkeri, it was Mr. Naik who took the chance and got elected.

Things turned in his favour with Suresh C. Angadi, MP for Belgaum, and former Union Minister Basangouda Patil Yatnal insisting on "justice" to a candidate belonging to Lingayat-Panchamsali community. Laxman Saudi, who represents Athani Assembly constituency, was one of the strong contenders for ministerial berth.

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