Missing! A minister for Bengaluru affairs

Shyam Sundar Vattam/NT Bengaluru, Nov. 4

Bengaluru may be bursting at the seams because of the multtitude of civic issues including pathetic roads and abysmally poor civic infrastructure but this hardly seems to be a matter of concern for the BJP with sources revealing that the party top brass is unlikely to give permission for the appointment of a minister in charge of the city anytime soon.

The reason they cite is the fierce competition among Bengaluru-based ministers for the post! This post has become a bone of contention among senior ministers with Housing Minister V. Somanna and Revenue Minister R. Ashok involved in a verbal duel on the issue recently. For Bengaluru ministers, the post carries a lot of prestige which explains the competition to bag it. Apart from Somanna and Ashok, even Bengaluru Development Authority Chairman and Yelahanka MLA S.R.Vishwanath has thrown his hat in the ring. With so many contenders, the CM is in a fix and has not been able to take a decision knowing that it would hurt those who are left out.

The CM has taken the safe way out-he has decided to request BJP National General Secretary In Charge of Karnataka, Arun Singh to take up the issue with party national president J.P.Nadda. Interestingly, other ministers like Byrati Basavaraj, Muniratna, Gopalaiah and S.T. Somashekar who were responsible for the installation of the BJP government headed by Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa in 2019, are not inclined to take up the post, said sources.

Why the post is important

The post of Bengaluru In-charge Minister is considered prestigious because of various reasons. The minister can summon officers of various departments for meetings, preside over the KDP meeting, inspect ongoing work in the city and visit any project in Bengaluru. The in-charge minister can call meetings of BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMRDL, Metro and other departments. Though there are no apparent financial benefits, the post carries a lot of weight in a city like Bengaluru. The CM may take up the issue with BJP general secretary Arun singh when he visits the city