BJP names Kota Shrinivas Poojari as Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka BJP on Monday announced the appointment of senior party MLC and former Minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari as the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council, and MLA Arvind Bellad as Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
The BJP also has also appointed its MLCs Sunil Vallyapure and N Ravikumar respectively as the Deputy Leader of Opposition and its Chief Whip respectively in the legislative council -- the upper house; while party MLA Doddanagouda G Patil has been named as the Chief Whip in the lower house of the state legislature.
In a press release announcing these appointments, state BJP President B Y Vijayendra said, "appointments have been made as per the directions of party national President J P Nadda." After the Assembly polls in May in which Congress swept to power, the BJP participated in two legislature sessions -- in July and earlier this December -- without appointments to these key posts, which had drawn large-scale criticism from ruling Congress and some sections of the society.
In fact, the post of legislature party leader or leader of Opposition in the Assembly too was vacant till November, until R Ashoka was appointed, ahead of the legislature session earlier this month.
After the appointment of Ashoka as the LoP and Vijayendra as the party's state unit president in November, which led to some amount of disgruntlement in the BJP, there was a lot of speculation within the party, as to who will occupy other key legislature posts -- for which appointments were made today-- amid large number of aspirants and lobbying.
Poojari, who hails from Billava community and has a Sangh Parivar background, has already served as both leader of the house and opposition leader in the Legislative Council.
The appointment of Bellad and Patil as Deputy Leader of Opposition and chief whip in the Legislative Assembly respectively is significant considering that both hail from the north Karnataka region, as there was open disgruntlement in the state BJP, about the region not being given enough representation, after Ashoka and Vijayendra were given posts.
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Expelled BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal to launch ‘non-adjustment political party’ in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Aug 22 (PTI): Expelled BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Friday announced that he would launch a “non-adjustment political party” in Karnataka.
The Vijayapura MLA made the announcement in the assembly after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah highlighted the state’s financial woes and accused the previous BJP government of passing bills without funds during its 2019-23 tenure.
“You (Siddaramaiah) too got support from two of us,” Yatnal said, prompting Siddaramaiah to quip, “Please sit down. You have been expelled from the party.”
In his response, Yatnal said, “You were also expelled by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda from the JD(S). Whoever is expelled from a party becomes Chief Minister one day.”
“I will be happy if you become Chief Minister,” Siddaramaiah said in a lighter vein. “But from which party will you do it?” the CM asked and suggested that Yatnal form a new party after his expulsion from the BJP.
“I am going to form a ‘Non-Adjustment Political Party’. Don’t worry if it cuts BJP’s votes. It won’t help you,” Yatnal responded. Siddaramaiah retorted that Yatnal should launch his outfit if he wanted the Congress to come to power.
The firebrand leader was expelled from the BJP for six years after repeatedly targeting former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his son, state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, over "dynastic politics" and alleging an adjustment between Yediyurappa and Siddaramaiah.
Several BJP legislators had joined his campaign before the party high command acted to quell dissidence.
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