The rise of Shettar

Jul 13, 2012 |

Bengaluru

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Jagadish Shettar

Fifty six year-old Jagadish Shivappa Shettar was sworn in as Chief Minister — the third of the four year-old BJP government — on Thursday with the party setting a precedent of carving the posts of two deputy chief ministers as part of its strategy to woo voters of majority communities.

A Kuruba leader and state unit president K.S. Eshwarappa and Vokkaliga leader R. Ashok were sworn in as deputy chief ministers with party leaders filling all the 34 ministerial slots in one go. The party added 11 new members while all those who were in the cabinet of D.V. Sadananda Gowda retained their positions. Mr Shettar and Mr Eshwarappa, who rushed to New Delhi with the list of candidates for approval by senior central leaders on Wednesday, returned in time for the oath-taking ceremony. A last-minute change in the list, however, triggered protests in coastal areas with a couple of legislators from Udupi threatening to quit the Legislative Assembly. Several other aspirants, too, were sulking and contemplated future course of action later this week.

Soon after assuming office, Mr Shettar announced that he would pursue politics of consensus. “We will try to give an honest, transparent and corruption-free government,” the Chief Minister said in his maiden interaction with the media. Sources in the party said the new ministers were lobbying for plum portfolios till late in the night. They pointed out that Mr Eshwarappa would probably hold the portfolio of water resources while the other deputy chief minister Mr Ashok could head a new ministry instead of home and transport held in the previous government.

The sources pointed out that allocation of portfolios would be no smooth affair with former excise minister and diehard Yeddyurappa supporter M.P. Renukacharya, throwing tantrums during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence on Thursday night. Taking offence to such behaviour, senior leaders are likely to allot an insignificant ministry to him.

11 NEW FACES
* K.S. Eshwarappa (Shimoga)
* Kalakappa Bandi (Ron)
* Sogadu Shivanna (Tumkur)
* Kota Srinivas Poojari (MLC)
* B.J. Puttaswamy (MLC)
* Aravind Limbavali (Mahadevapura)
* C.T. Ravi (Chikmagalur)
* Anand Singh (Hospet-Vijaynagar)
* Appacchu Ranjan (Somawarpet)
* D.N. Jeevaraj (Sringeri)
* S.K. Bellubbi (Basavana Bagevadi)

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