The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Revolt no. 2 brewing in BJP

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Wednesday, Dec 23, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Revolt no. 2 brewing in BJP

S. Rajendran

Some legislators are working to stay Renukacharya’s induction into the Cabinet

Bangalore: The swearing-in ceremony to induct Honnali MLA M.P. Renukacharya is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday but there are still doubts on whether the programme will be conducted at all. There are reports that another round of dissent has surfaced in the Bharatiya Janata Party. While Mr. Renukacharya exuded confidence that his induction had been finalised, a group of legislators were reportedly working to stay the induction.

Sources close to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa told The Hindu that it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to take a final call on who would be the legislators who would form a part of his Ministry. With a coordination committee also in place, the Chief Minister had spoken to the members of the committee before deciding on the induction of Mr. Renukacharya. “Hence the swearing-in ceremony will be conducted according to the schedule,” said sources.

Mr. Renukacharya is being inducted only to arrest the dissent within the party. The Renukacharya camp, comprising nearly eight legislators, had raised dissent about a month ago and again a week ago ever since the BJP high command had only met the demand of the Bellary Ministers when they organised an “oust Yeddyurappa” campaign. It should be noted that the Bellary Ministers’ camp also included legislators associated with Mr. Renukacharya. Sources in the BJP told The Hindu that with the Chief Minister agreeing to induct Mr. Renukacharya into the Cabinet, a section of the legislators have submitted a letter seeking a meeting of the BJP legislature party to ratify the induction. Most of these legislators represent Bangalore constituencies and are stated to have been prompted to write the letter to the Chief Minister by some of the close associates of Mr. Renukacharya himself. In their view, they have not been offered any position in the Government and Mr. Renukacharya too would forget them soon after he became a Minister. A round of revolt is on the cards within the party. It is another matter that it is the Chief Minister who decides on the composition of his Cabinet and not the legislature party.

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