Bengaluru, Dec 2 : Expressing concern over ministers, legislators and party leaders making public statements, Karnataka BJP chief whip in Legislative Assembly V.Sunil Kumar on Wednesday wrote a letter to party state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel demanding to convene legislators’ meeting to discuss developments concerning cabinet expansion and appointments to boards.
In his letter written on December 1, Kumar stated that our party being a disciplined cadre based party cannot afford to behave like any other party.
“Several leaders are making statements on the street.This is not only bringing disrepute to our party but also those who have toiled hard till date are feeling bad about recent developments.Therefore, as the state unit president, you must convene legislators meetings where people like us who have remained steadfast with the party ideology need express our feelings within the party forum,” he said.
He also stated that several legislators need to express their feelings about recent developments such as appointments to boards and cabinet expansion.
He added that without differentiating between the old or newcomers, the party’s disciplinary framework must be made loud and clear to everyone.
“I am confident that you will do that immediately,” he asserted in his letter to Kateel.
Kumar who is an MLA from Karkala, said legislators like him have to share their opinions within the party forum on appointments to boards and corporations, cabinet exercise, and the state president has to listen to them.
“Modi-like administration, ideology-based administration, antyodaya and people friendly programmes have to reflect in our administration and not allegations and counter allegations,” he said.
The Chief whip further added disciplined legislators like him have to share their opinions and suggestions before Kateel regarding recent developments in this government, its decisions, and also activities in the party.
He concluded his letter stating that the suggestions that come up will be aimed at strengthening the party further and making the administration more effective.
The letter assumes significance, since, as chief whip he could have written the same letter to addressing Chief Minister, B.S.Yediyurappa as the latter happens to be the Bharatiya Janata Party legislature party leader.Generally, parties convene Legislature party meetings ahead of the Assembly session which is scheduled to commence on December 7 in Karnataka.
A senior BJP leader told IANS that this letter appears to be an effort to blunt Yediyurpppa’s one upmanship, which he is showing unabashedly.
“Be it taking a unilateral decision on the state cabinet recommending inclusion of reservations to veerashaiva-Linagayat community to the central government list or announcing openly that C.P.Yogeshwara will be in his cabinet are case in point that the party old guards are not entirely happy with him,” the source said.
The much awaited expansion or reshuffle of Yediyurappa cabinet, for which the party high command is yet to give its consent, has also led to groupism within the party, with leaders belonging to different groups lobbying and giving open statements, expressing their displeasure opnely.
The newcomers Congress-JDS rebels who are now with the BJP – have been insisting that the BJP has come to power because of them and that they should be inducted into the cabinet for their “sacrifice” hence they should be in cabinet.
However, some veteran functionaries have expressed strong reservations and asserted it is they who have nurtured the party to this level and they should be accommodated too
.
