[1]Bengaluru: Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje may become the first high-profile casualty of the war of words between her mentor, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa who heads the breakaway Karnataka Janata party and the present BJP chief minister Jagadish Shettar.
Ms Karandlaje will most probably be axed from the cabinet, paying the price for her injudicious letter where she lashed out at the Shettar government for the law and order situation in the state following the rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student in Delhi. In her letter she claims law and order has crumbled and 20 rape cases reported in the last two months.
BJP sources said the sacking was imminent after the BJP Core Committee met in Bengaluru on Saturday, discussed Ms Karandlaje’s letter at length, and reached a consensus that she must go immediately.
While a few were apprehensive that sacking the lone woman in the cabinet could backfire and lose them the women’s vote, sources close to Ms Karandlaje said that writing the letter was a deliberate ploy on the energy minister’s part to invite just such an action.
When reached for comment, an unrepentant Ms Karandlaje told Deccan Chronicle: “It is good news if the chief minister decides to drop me from the cabinet. The chief minister is free to take any decision. It’s his prerogative.”
Sources said Mr Shettar had already told Ms Karandlaje of his displeasure over the manner in which she had gone public with her views when she was still a part of government.
Ms Karandlaje is expected to resign after Jan. 15 and join the KJP. She is said to be racing through the paperwork, clearing files before she puts in her papers, sources said. n P6
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/shobhajpg-111