Karnataka Cabinet crisis: Why were 14 ministers axed?
Follow- V Srinivas Prasad, Minister for Revenue:
In a government-organised function in Mysore on June 16, Friday, Srinivas Prasad praised PM Narendra Modi saying that Modi has done great work in the last two years and the world has never seen such a PM. At the function, he also praised his show Mann Ki Baat, his call to give up LPG subsidy and the success stories of his foreign tour.
Besides, there was a demand for a Dalit CM in Karnataka and V Srinivas Prasad, being a Dalit leader, supported the demand.
- Qamar Ul Islam, Minorities Welfare, Haj and Wakft Department:
In 1998, Qamar Ul Islam had allegedly illegally confiscated 8.34 acres of land in survey no. 12 of Badepur, Gulbarga district, which belonged to Bande Navaj Dargah.
In 2012, a case was filed in Lokayukta on the matter and Lokayukta had ordered the police to investigate the case and submit the report.
Besides, his statements like ‘Shaadi Bhagya cannot be extended to Hindu brides’ made him unpopular.
- Shamanoor Shivashankarappa, Minister for Horticulture:
Shamanuru Shivashankarappa is one of the richest ministers of the cabinet. He was unpopular for his caste politics and damaging statements. Last year, July 7, responding to a question related to farmers’ suicides, he had said that farmers take loans for their own vested interest, we, the government cannot take the responsibility of their foolish decisions.
That apart, he said compensation from the government will encourage vested interests of farmers and also increase the rate of suicides. He consistently demanded that the government consider Lingayats (one of the powerful communities of Karnataka) as a minority section.
When the cabinet list was announced, in which his name was removed, he sarcastically said, “All these days I was travelling in my government-given Innova. Now I can return to travelling in my Benz.”
- Ambareesh, Minister for Housing:
Ambareesh, who sought his political career through his stardom, failed to solve the political rivalry in his own constituency (Mandya). But ineffective administration did him in. He rarely attended Assembly sessions and did not make enough visits to his constituency.
In 2015, he had not bothered to spend the money (around ₹3818 crore) that was allocated to his department. CM Siddaramaiah himself has said in the Assembly that the achievements of Ambareesh as a minister of Housing were nil, which irked Ambareesh. The CM had also submitted a report to the Assembly supporting his statement.
- Vinay Kumar Sorake, Udupi District In-charge Minister:
He failed to solve crises and differences of opinion in his district, particularly the issues of minorities (Muslims). He allegedly did not encourage the representation of Muslims in the district.
Besides, there are allegations that he did not maintain accounts of his expenditure. About ₹80 lakh in two years, when he was urban development minister, is unaccounted for.
- Sateesh Jarakiholi, Excise Minister:
Satish Jarakiholi is also an industrialist; he and his family own many sugar factories. He failed to address the grievances of farmers who were not happy with sugar pricing in the state, but Jarakiholi saw his interests as a sugar factory owner first and lost the trust of the state’s farmers.
He and Siddaramaiah did not get along well from the very beginning. When the excise department was given to Jarakiholi, he was not too keen on taking up the job and said he’d be more comfortable handling a simpler department like youth services and sports instead of a huge department like excise.
Last year, Jarakiholi had even resigned as minister. The CM, however, didn’t accept his resignation and repurposed him as minister of the small industries department.
- Baburao Chinchansur, Textile Minister:
Sources say that the CMO was unhappy with Baburao Chinchansur’s performance. Also, an industrialist based in Andhra Pradesh had filed a complaint against him to the speaker alleging he defrauded around ₹11 crore.
The industrialist had submitted an audio clip in which Chinchansur had demanded a bribe. The matter was discussed in the Assembly too. Besides, he allegedly owns properties illegally. The Lokayukta had ordered the police to investigate the case and submit a report. However, the order was cancelled by the state High Court later.
- Shivaraj Tangadagi, Minister for Small Irrigation:
Shivaraj Tangadagi was district in-charge minister for Koppal District. He was accused in a murder case in June 2015. A student named Yallalinga was murdered in his district, and it was alleged that a close acquaintance of the minister was involved in the crime with the support of the minister. He is also facing allegations of corruption.
- SR Patil, Minister for IT:
Patil hails from Badagondi village from Bagalkote district. He has been an MLC thrice from his region. But he was never a choice of CM Siddaramaiah for his cabinet. It was only after SR Patil made a big issue out of the lack of representation for Legislative Council members in the cabinet that he was appointed a minister by Siddaramaiah.
Patil had met Congress high command leaders on two occasions seeking a portfolio for himself. Eventually, when the CM allotted him the IT/BT ministry, Patil was not very happy because the sectors are alien to him.
- Manohar H. Tahasildar, Minister for Excise and Muzrai:
Hanagal MLA Manohar H Tahasildar hails from Balija Community which is not quite powerful in politics. Allegedly, his son Raghavendra took a bribe through a mediator from a Belgaum DRFO employee. The CM knows about it.
- Abhay Chandra Jain: Minister for Youth Service and Fisheries:
When Abhay Chandra Jain was given the ministry of fisheries; he was reluctant to accept the position and this annoyed the CM. Chandra told the media that this ministry didn’t suit him since he was a ‘Jain’.
Later, the CM called him and told him that as a minister, he should go beyond his prejudices and work for the welfare of society. On May 2, 2014, this minister who follows the said ‘values of non-violence’ threatened journalists openly in Mudabidre saying that he and his Congress workers would break the legs and hands of journalists and make beggars out of them.
- Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies:
Dinesh Gundurao has allegations of encroaching lands worth ₹248 crore. Social activist SR Hiremath had filed a case against him saying that Dinesh Gundu Rao’s family is a family of land thieves. Besides, when CM Siddaramaiah announced free rice for BPO card holders, massive misuse of the BPL cards was found. In his three years, Dinesh Gundu Rao, as minister for food & civil supplies, failed to curtail the misuse of BPL cards and punish the culprits.
- Kimmane Ratnakar, Education Minister:
Kimmane Ratnakar is famous for his Gandhism. But recent developments such as the pre-university question paper leak, mishaps of SSLC results, agitation of PUC lecturers, etc., set his profile back a few notches. Besides that, government schools in rural areas are being merged every year and the numbers of government schools in the state are decreasing day by day. Kimmane has not taken proper steps to increase the number of government schools.
- PT Parameshwar Naik, Labour Minister:
Being district in-charge minister for Ballari district, it is alleged that Parameshwar Naik supports the liquor lobby in the district. The recent Anupama Shenoy-led agitation and her war against Parameshwar Naik have been major causes for his removal from the cabinet.
