Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is reportedly upset that he could not secure a Cabinet berth for his son B.Y. Vijayendra (in picture) , despite lobbying hard till the last minute. However, the father-son duo were seen enthusiastically participating in the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai landing in the city Wednesday morning said the party high command was yet to give him clear directions on two issues, one being that of Mr. Vijayendra. Shortly after, J.P. Nadda, BJP president, and Arun Singh, in charge of party affairs in the State, reportedly spoke to father and son and communicated the high command’s decision not to induct Mr. Vijayendra into the Cabinet and tried to placate them, sources said.
The high command has reportedly assured Mr. Yediyurappa that his son’s “future will be taken care of”, but not by offering a Cabinet berth at present, as it would attract the charge of dynastic politics. The high command also did not want other power centres within the Cabinet, it is learnt. Mr. Vijayendra will continue to work in the party organisation for now, sources said.
Mr. Yediyurappa had reportedly been lobbying to make his son a Deputy Chief Minister under a non-lingayat Chief Minister, a proposal that was out of question with Mr. Bommai at the helm. Later, he lobbied hard to secure his son a berth in the Cabinet till late on Tuesday night, reportedly causing anxious moments. However, the central leadership did not relent and stood firm, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet expansion exercise has been a mixed bag for the former Chief Minister. While many of his followers failed to secure a berth, almost all his detractors who publicly criticised him have also been kept out of the Cabinet. Mr. Yediyurappa was pushing for his detractors not to be included in the Cabinet, sources said.
Several ministerial aspirants who failed to secure a berth in the Cabinet, M.P. Renukacharya, Raju Gowda, and others, made a beeline for Mr. Yediyurappa’s residence.
The former Chief Minister unhappy over the non-inclusion of his son may emerge as a rallying point of many ministerial aspirants who did not make it, the party fears.
