Seeking to downplay the absence of former Ministers K. S. Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi staying away from the winter session of the Karnataka legislature, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he is in touch with them.
“Their absence should not be seen as a boycott of the session,” the Chief Minister told reporters at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on December 20.
He maintained that they are right in wanting to return to the Cabinet in the wake of both getting clearance with regard to the legal issues that caused their departure from the council of ministers. He had raised their issues with the BJP leadership during his recent visit to Delhi, and the central leaders had responded positively.
At the same time, the Chief Minister said there are issues that he needed to discuss them them in person.
Congress accuses K.S. Eshwarappa of cheating people of Shivamogga
Former MLA and Congress leader K.B. Prasanna Kumar criticised Mr. Eshwarappa for skipping the legislature session over not being re-inducted into the Cabinet. “Mr. Eshwarappa has cheated the people of Shivamogga, who elected him to the legislative Assembly, by refusing to attend the session,” he told mediapersons in Shivamogga on December 20.
Mr. Prasanna Kumar pointed out that the MLA had skipped the previous session citing knee pain. “People believed him. But now, it is clear that he skipped the session over a cabinet berth. While people of Shivamogga constituency are facing many problems, the legislator is worried about cabinet berth,” he commented.
Those affected by floods are yet to recover completely. However, the MLA is interested only in becoming a minister, he said.
