Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 28: In order to quell the dissidence and remove the dissatisfaction deeply-rooted in the party, chief minister (CM) B S Yediyurappa, distributed posts in different corporations and boards yesterday. The CM's calculations seem to have gone wrong and the move may prove to be counterproductive. Party workers and leaders are unhappy about the appointments, and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel, it is said, who also is up in arms against the CM, will apprise the high command of the discontentment brewing among the party workers.

For Yediyurappa, the appointments have resulted in two challenges. Some legislators who were hoping to become ministers have rejected the posts now offered. The chief minister also committed a blunder by giving the post of the president of the backward classes commission to MLA Lalaji R Mendon. As this is a constitutional post it cannot be given to legislators. Moreover, this appointment should be made through the governor. After realizing the faux pas, the appointment order was withdrawn.

Nalin Kumar Kateel (left) and B S Yediyurappa

Party workers and district presidents are angry at the fact that all the posts are given to legislators. The party workers who have contributed significantly were waiting to be gifted in the form of a post in boards and corporations and they are questioning whether this is the reward for the sincere work they put during the last several years. Nalin who himself is unhappy at not being consulted on these appointments, is facing a barrage of questions from district presidents. Core committee members too are said to be unhappy at not being consulted on this issue.

Some have rejected the posts. There are allegations that the list was prepared by chief minister's son B Y Vijayendra, and Yediyurappa only approved the list without giving it another thought. Whether Yediyurappa will be able to handle this new challenge he faces now, after having completed one year in office, is a curious question. It will also be interesting to see whether the high command will try to clip the chief minister's wings after being apprised of the goings on at the state
level.