Bengaluru, Sept. 22: The vocal opposition from within notwithstanding, the Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, bested the Bellary mine lords as he packed the Cabinet with his loyalists, with the blessings of central leaders.
The Reddy brothers backed by the party national general secretary, Mr Ananth Kumar, had tried to prevent the entry of stalwarts like Mr V. Somanna and Ms Shobha Karandlaje.
They were silenced after the BJP president, Mr Nitin Gadkari, and the state in-charge, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, threw their weight behind the CM who said he needed trustworthy ministers by his side as he prepared for the November taluk and zilla panchayat elections.
The return of Ms Karandlaje, Mr Yeddyurappa’s close aide — dropped after the Reddys insisted on her head — and Mr Somanna, a powerful city legislator, was a personal triumph for the Chief Minister.
The Reddys, faced with dwindling support backed down as Mr Yeddyurappa also re-allocated portfolios. The Chief Minister handed the home portfolio to the Vokkaliga leader and transport minister, Mr R. Ashok, in a signal that the BJP would woo this significant vote bank.
The key portfolio of power goes to Ms Karandlaje whose handling of the Panchayati Raj and the Dasara celebrations won plaudits.