Discontentment in JD (S), BJP spiralling out of

The discontentment in the JD (S) and BJP,triggered by Wednesday’s expansion of the coalitionMinistry appeared to be spiralling out of control withthe general Secretary of state JD (S) unit MahimaPatel tendering his resignation from the post and agroup of BJP legislators planning to write a detailedprotest letter to the party’s national leadership.
Peeved over being left out of the coalition Ministry,JD (S) MLA Mahima Patel, who is also the son of lateKarnataka Chief Minister J H Patel, has submitted hisresignation from the post of the party’s state unitgeneral secretary. “The party has lost its sense ofdirection. So, I have put in my papers”, said Patel,an aspirant for a ministerial berth, told reporters inBangalore.
Another former Minister belonging to the JD (S)Alangur Srinivas, who missed the ministerial busduring Wednesday’s expansion, too expressed his displeasure openly before meeting party supremo andformer Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and complainingabout the “humiliation” meted out to him.
JD (S) MLA G T Deve Gowda, who was also among thestrong claimants for a ministerial berth, complainedthat the party leadership had let him down.
Rebellion was also brewing in the ranks of the BJP,which is struggling hard to contain the widespreaddisenchantment among the aspirants. A group of seniorparty MLAs, including eight three-time MLAs, who hadbeen left out of the expansion exercise, met inBangalore and decided to write a detailed letter tothe party’s central leadership in New Delhi.
The disgruntled BJP leaders contended that DeputyChief Minister B S Yediyurappa and party’s state unitPresident D V Sadananda Gowda did not secure theapproval of the party’s national leadership beforeinducting the four partymen into the coalitionMinistry.
A section of these veteran MLAs, who have strong tieswith the Sangh Parivar, have also decided to bring thematter to the attention of RSS leadership. The MLAsfelt that newcomers to the party too had beenaccommodated in the Ministry at the cost of loyalparty workers, who have stood by the BJP since thelast several years.
The unrest among the party legislators, particularlyveteran MLAs, has become a source of concern to theparty’s state leadership, which is trying to quell thedissent, lest it assumes menacing proportions in thefuture.
Apart from facing the challenges of containing thedissent brewing in their respective parties, the JD(S) and BJP are also facing the charge of being“anti-women” by not inducting a single woman in thecoalition Ministry.
However, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy told reportersthat women will surely find a place in the coalitionMinistry during its next round of expansion to fillfour more vacancies.