BJP central leadership "positive" about re-induction of Eshwarappa, Jarkiholi, says CM Bommai
KSE claims CM has assured to make him a minister; yet to take a call on attending Assembly session
Bengaluru/Belagavi, Dec 20: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said the BJP's central leadership was "positive" about the re-induction of sulking ex-ministers KS Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi in the state cabinet, even as the duo skipping the ongoing Assembly session has embarrassed the ruling party.
The two had earlier resigned as ministers--Eshwarappa over allegations of bribery and Jarkiholi over a sex scandal but the probe agencies investigating into the respective cases had given them clean chits.
Eshwarappa, a former deputy CM and ex-state party President, said Bommai has assured them of cabinet berths soon.
He had resigned as Minister earlier this year after a contractor allegedly committed suicide accusing him of demanding 40 percent commission in a public work contract in 2020.
Stating they have been given "clean chit" by police in those cases, the two leaders had been demanding that they be made ministers again.
Eshwarappa, BJP's Shivamogga MLA and Jarkiholi (Gokak) have been conspicuous by their absence in the Assembly session that commenced on Monday in Belagavi in north Karnataka. Eshwarappa had said he would not attend the Assembly session until he is made a Minister.
On Tuesday, Bommai said he was in touch with Jarkiholi and Eshwarappa.
Their non-participation in the assembly is not boycott. "They are right in their thinking that they must return to the Council of Ministers once they were cleared of all the charges," Bommai told reporters in Belagavi.
During his recent visit to Delhi, the party high command discussed the matter related to Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi, Bommai said.
"They (party leadership) are also positive about their induction but certain things cannot be told in public," the chief minister added.
Meanwhile, Eshwarappa said Bommai has assured them Cabinet berth soon.
"The chief minister has assured me he will speak to the party high command and induct me in the cabinet after I got a clean chit," he told reporters in Bengaluru.
"Not only me but Ramesh Jarkiholi also will be made a minister because he too got a clean chit," Eshwarappa added.
Asked if he would attend the assembly session after the assurance by Bommai, Eshwarappa said, "I will speak to the chief minister in the evening before taking any decision".
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Stalin accuses Centre of trying to use women's quota as 'weapon,' slams EPS over delimitation
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticised the Centre over the women's reservation and accused it of trying to use it as a "weapon" to tackle the opposition before taking up the delimitation exercise based on population.
"The Union government is not concerned about implementing reservations for women. If their concerns were genuine, they could have done it right away. Rather than doing that, the BJP-led Centre is thinking of using it as a weapon to tackle opposition and take up the delimitation exercise based on population," he told PTI in an interview.
"Hence, the women's reservation must be implemented immediately without showing delimitation as a reason," the DMK president added.
Expressing apprehensions on the proposed delimitation exercise, the CM said it was the DMK that raised the first voice asserting the rights of the state after realising that Tamil Nadu would be affected by the proposed exercise. He also attacked his rival and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami over the delimitation issue.
Recalling efforts made by the DMK to raise the issue of population-based delimitation, he said an all-party meeting and a meeting of CMs under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee seeking fair delimitation were convened. It sought to freeze delimitation for 25 years and stick to it based on the 1971 Census population.
"We urged the union government that states which successfully implemented population control programmes must not be punished," he added.
The party came up with "Tamil Nadu poradum, Tamil Nadu vellum" (Tamil Nadu will struggle, Tamil Nadu will win) and this is DMK's stand, he said.
"However, Palaniswami, who is seeking votes for the entry of the BJP through the backdoor, has till date been mute over delimitation, and this is a betrayal of the people of Tamil Nadu."
