Bangalore, Sep 22: Sending a message to his detractors that he was in command, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yedyurappa today inducted six ministers, including his confidante Shobha Karandlaje, into his cabinet.
A day after axing three ministers loyal to mining magnate and Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy, Yedyurappa ensured the return of Karandlaje 11 months after she was dropped at the height of dissidence led by Reddy last year.
On expected lines, A Narayanaswamy, C H Vijayashankar, C C Patil, Karandlaje, V Somanna and S A Ramadas were adminstered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor H R Bhardwaj in Raj Bhavan.
Sensing the brewing discontent among legislators hoping to make it into the ministry , state unit party President K S Eswarappa said the ministry would again be restructured after March next and at least three new faces given a chance.
Janardhana Reddy, who had warned against the sacking of three of his supporters from the ministry and complained to the BJP high command about Yeddyurappa's action, went soft saying they would accept the party's decision.
"We are happy with the party decision. We go by whatever decision the party takes," Reddy, who was unhappy with the sacking of Aravind Limbavali, Shivanagouda Naik and Goolihatti Shekar despite his pleas for their continuance, told reporters.
The softening of stance by Janardhana Reddy and his brother and minister Karunanakara Reddy was being attributed in BJP circles to the on-going probe by the state CID and also by Lokayukta into illegal mining and illegal export of iron ore.
Going in for a major re-structuring of the ministry 28 months after the first ever saffron party government was installed in the South and surviving a major threat to his chair last year, Yeddyurappa has virtually retaliated at the Bellary ministerial trioka by taking them head-on.
Yeddyurappa, who hails from the dominant Lingayat community also chose not to pay heed to the reported insistence by party National General Secretary H N Anantkumar against carrying out the reshuffle now and also his attempts to induct his supporters in the ministry.
"Finally, I have got justice," was the cryptic reaction by Karandlaje, who has been a target among sections of the BJP for wielding influence disproportionate to her status. PTI
