Party chief to ministers: Keep kin out of govt

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Stunned by recent reports of libraries and animal husbandry minister, Revu Naik Belamagi’s son interfering in the department’s affairs, BJP state unit president K.S. Eshwarappa on Monday sent a warning of sorts to Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa and his ministerial colleagues to mend their ways and keep family members out of matters concerning the government.

This was the first meeting of ministers with Mr Eshwarappa after the recent campaign launched by the trio—party national general secretary, Ananth Kumar, Mr Eshwarappa and RDPR minister, Jagadish Shettar — against Mr Yeddyurappa.

The meeting which was held just weeks before the BJP completes three years in office, saw the CM getting a mild rebuke from his Shimoga colleague, Mr Eshwarappa when he raised the issue of dissidence.

It started with Mr Yeddyurappa asking Mr Eshwarappa why he had spearheaded the campaign by the dissidents to which Mr Eshwarappa replied, “Everyone was involved, it was not me alone.” He then took on the chief minister citing Mr Belamagi’s case and said, “If family members of ministers get involved in the affairs of various departments, our image is sure to be tarnished as it has happened in the case of Belamagi. We have to be careful and keep family members out of administrative matters.”

Rural development and panchayat raj minister Jagadish Shettar concurred which seemed to be a subtle message to Mr Yeddyurappa to keep his family out of the limelight.

With tempers running high, Mr Eshwarappa and the others came out of the meeting hall before resuming the proceedings after 10 minutes. Mr Eshwarappa then brought to the ministers’ notice, the advice given by BJP patriarch L.K. Advani to him and Mr Yeddyurappa during his visit to the city last week.

"He told us that MLAs and ministers do not have to keep making trips to New Delhi to complain on some issue. According to Mr Advani, any dispute should be sorted out here instead of rushing to Delhi all the time.