Old Mysore region swarms with Cabinet aspirants

MYSORE: As the new Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is busy holding consultations with the two factions of the BJP, headed by former CM B S Yedyurappa and MP Ananth Kumar, on Cabinet expansion, BJP leaders from the old Mysore region have started lobbying for ministerial berths.With former medical education minister S A Ramdas siding with the Jagadish Shettar faction, lobbying for a ministerial berth had intensified in the Yeddyurappa camp.Interestingly, fourtime MLA H S Shankerlinge Gowda, who was disqualified for revolting against the party leadership, and regained his membership after the Supreme Court set aside a High Court verdict, is also in the race.Gowda, who sprung a surprise by claiming that he was in race for the top post, is knocking at the doors of both the factions to win their support. The victory of BJP MLA Yogeshwar from Chanapatna in the bypolls may come in the way of Gowda as he his also one of the aspirants who is in the good books of the leaders.It is learnt that threetime MLC G Madhusudhan, a Brahmin who has a strong RSS connection, is also lobbying for the ministerial berth in view of his seniority in the party.MLC Siddaraju, who belongs to the dominant Nayaka community and a loyalist of Yeddyurappa and Shobha Karandlaje, has also pinned his hopes on RSS leaders. Several ministers, like districtincharge minister D T Jayakumar in the JD(S)BJP government, in the past belonged to the Nayaka community. The Community is a deciding factor in Mysore Lok Sabha constituency and more than 10 assembly constituency in Mysore Chamrajnagar and parts of Mandya district.The BJP leaders believe Siddaraju would bring the community to its fold and split backward community votes. The community leaders and mutts have also prevailed upon the BJP leaders and the Sangh Parivar as former health minister B Sriramulu, from the Nayaka community, who was indicted by the Lokayukta in the illegal mining case, could not make it to the ministry.MLC Thontadarya and MLC Prof Mallikrajunappa are also eying ministerial berths. Both, hailing from Veerashaiva community, are loyalist of Yeddyurappa and have good rapport with Veerashaiva mutts.