Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, Dec 26: Speculations over chief minister Basavaraj Bommai's future in the BJP government in Karnataka has been put to rest after both state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and union minister Prahlad Joshi spoke in favour of Bommai.
Of late, it was widely speculated that there may be a change of guard Karnataka following the party's performance in the recent legislative council elections.
Speaking at the BJP office in the city, Nalin said, "There is going to be no change regarding chief minister or the cabinet. These are just rumours. Bommai will continue as chief minister till the next assembly elections. Cabinet expansion will not happen either. Only the vacant positions will be filled. The high command has not given any tasks. Our only task is to win the next assembly elections by securing victory in at least 150 seats."
Speaking at Bagalkot, minister Murugesh Nirani said, "I am not an aspirant for chief ministerial post. I have never said anywhere that I want to be the next chief minister. I have a good relationship with Bommai. Maybe some vested interests are trying to meddle in my rapport with the chief minister. I do not know whether those vested interests are in our party or elsewhere.
"I have already clarified about the statement given by Eshwarappa who said that I will be the next chief minister. Bommai is like my elder brother. Our families have a relationship of more than 30 years. He is the chief minister now. I always share my personal problems with him first. If I go to Hubballi, I never proceed without having a cup of tea at his home. If he comes to Bengaluru, he visits our house," Nirani added.
It is learnt that chief minister Bommai expressed his disappointment about the developments in the party regarding possible change of guard. He said that if the ministers in the government give such statements, it has a lot of adverse effects on the administration. Hence the state BJP president and union ministers have started batting for him.
Union minister Prahlad Joshi said, "There is no question of changing the chief minister in Karnataka. Some vested interests in the party are unnecessarily spreading rumours that the chief minister is going to the USA and there will be change of chief minister. This kind of spreading of false rumours by our own ministers and party people should stop."