BANGALORE: Thursday's Ministry expansion suggests that the Janata Dal (S)-Bharatiya Janata Party combine is trying to consolidate its support among the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities.

While the JD(S) chose two Vokkaligas and one Lingayat as its three nominees, the two BJP candidates are Lingayats. The JD(S) belied expectations that it would choose a minority candidate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Zameer Ahmed Khan.

The combined strength of Vokkaligas and Lingayats in the 34-member Ministry has reached 19.

Efforts were made to provide representation to various districts that had not been represented in the Ministry, but there are no Ministers from Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Kodagu and Gadag districts.

Women left out

Women were the ones who were left out in this effort to provide regional and community representation. Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy acknowledged this during a chat with journalists after the swearing-in ceremony. He said it was more important for the Government to initiate programmes for women than indulge in the tokenism of appointing women Ministers. This is an argument that is unlikely to convince women legislators and feminist groups. After all the two parties had six women legislators between them to choose from.

Thursday's Ministry expansion, like the previous one, has given rise to heartburn in some sections of the BJP. There is a feeling in BJP circles that its legislature party leader and Deputy Chief Minister, B.S. Yediyurappa, had the upper hand in choosing the candidates over the rival camp of national general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar.

Speculation

There is speculation that Rajendra Verma's name was dropped from the list as the Yediyurappa camp felt that he was close to the rival camp.

The decision to include Appasaheb Pattanashetty, first-time MLA for Bijapur, is also being seen as an effort to reduce the influence of the former Union Minister and Mr. Kumar's staunch supporter, Basavaraj Patil Yatnal, who also hails from Bijapur.

In a clever move to win over some veteran party activists, Mr. Yediyurappa has appointed them chairmen of boards and corporations. It is seen as an effort to isolate the rival camp.

But it remains to be seen whether it will be possible for Mr. Yediyurappa to ensure that the undercurrent of discontent does not snowball into dissidence.

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