Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai meets BS Yediyurappa amid dissent over portfolio allotment

Amid the growing dissent in Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Cabinet expansion and allocation of portfolios, Chief Minster Basavaraj S Bommai on Saturday met his predecessor BS Yediyurappa. In the half-an-hour-long meeting, the two also discussed the political situation in the state.

Karnataka BJP's portfolio crisis is far from over

Since Basavaraj Bommai took the top position, he is facing resistance from several unhappy MLAs who have been demanding ministerial berths. Municipal Administration and Small Scale Industries Minister N Nagaraj (MTB) and Tourism Minister Anand Singh have opened showed dissatisfaction over their portfolios, and have demanded better ones.

Unhappy with the current portfolio, Singh has threatened to quit the Cabinet just days after being sworn in. The businessman-turned-politician has reportedly sought high-profile portfolios like the energy or the forest ministry. During the Yediyurappa government, he was handed the forest portfolio for a brief period. To allegedly show his displeasure, he recently shut down his MLA office in Vijayanagara's Hosapete.

Singh also called on Yediyurappa and Bommai. After the meeting, the Chief Minister said that they are "united". However, he admitted that Singh wanted a "better" potfolio.

Nagaraj is also unhappy with his current profile and has expressed his desire to have PWD and transport. Another BJP MLA R Shankar said that he is seeking justice for the efforts he put up to bring the party to power. Notably, Singh, Nagaraj and Shankar are part of the 17 MLAs who defected from the Congress-JDS alliance leading to its fall in 2019.

Meanwhile, BJP MLAs S A Ramadas and MLC CP Yogeeshwara were among those who are reportedly unhappy over not securing cabinet berth. On Saturday, the two leaders also met CM Bommai.

After the meeting, Ramadas said that he has handed Bommai a sealed envelope. "I told him (the Chief Minister) to read when he is free. I have explained certain things in the interest of the State and the government,” he said. Yogeeshwara, however, said that there was no reason behind his meeting.

Cabinet berth aspirants Renukacharya and Ramesh Jarkiholi have also made multiple trips to the party leaders at the state and national level.