Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 7: Deviating from the general notion that the BJP will make all the disqualified MLAs ministers irrespective of the result of the bypoll, state rural development and panchayat raj minister, K S Eshwarappa, said that those disqualified legislators who lose the elections will not be made ministers.

The chief minister has kept 16 vacancies pending in the ministry unfilled. With the result set to be out on December 9, there is a flurry of aspirations and activities within the BJP cadres have picked up as there is a sense of some hope for some BJP leaders who aspire to become ministers. Speaking to media persons inside Vidhan Soudha on Friday, December 7, Eshwarappa said that those disqualified MLAs who fought under the BJP symbol will be made ministers if they win the elections. "Otherwise, they will remain as ordinary workers of the party," he commented.

Eshwarappa's words seem to negate the notion that some of the legislators will be accommodated in the cabinet irrespective of the results. Therefore naturally they have become upset. Eshwarappa said that the party had offered to make several of these MLAs ministers by absorbing them as MLCs but they had refused the offer and stood firm on getting elected as MLAs. "We have put in all-out efforts to ensure their win. Only winning candidates will become ministers and defeated ones will not make it to the ministry," he stressed.

On the issue of loyal party workers feeling cheated, he said that people can hope to wield power only when the party is in power. "Therefore, those who helped the party to come to power naturally get precedence. We will not cheat the disqualified legislators," he clarified. He said that Belagavi politicians, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Mahesh Kumathalli and Shrikant Patil will be made ministers, and Laxman Savadi will continue to be the deputy chief minister.