Karnataka cabinet: BSY loyalists reap rich rewards

BENGALURU: By inducting loyalists into his cabinet, chief minister BS Yediyurappa has sent out the message that he doesn’t let down his supporters and those who have placed him in the coveted chair.
Prominent among them are R Ashoka, CN Ashwathnarayan and Laxman Savadi, who played a vital role in “persuading” the 17 rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs to move to Mumbai and ensured the fall of JD(S)-Congress coalition government.The trio also kept the rebels comfortable while preventing them from meeting senior leaders of their parties.
Reports suggest Yediyurappa will ensure former Channapatna MLA CP Yogeshwar is also duly rewarded as he too played a key role in bringing the BJP back to power after a gap of 11 years.
Ashoka, who was “out-offavour” as recently as last year, found his way back by negotiating with the two independent legislators and reportedly with Hoskote disqualified MLA MTB Nagaraj.
Savadi, who lost the 2018 assembly elections from Athani by a slim margin, is supposedly being “groomed” by the central leadership and was elevated this year to become the poll in-charge for the upcoming Maharashtra elections. He also played a key role in getting Kagwad Congress MLA Seemanth Patil to Mumbai, and allegedly flew along with him on a commercial flight from Chennai.
H Nagesh, the independent MLA who dropped his ministerial berth in the previous coalition regime and extended support to the BJP, and JC Madhuswamy, who held fort inside the legislative assembly during the trust vote, have also been rewarded.
While Nagesh was an automatic choice to ensure his loyalty, Madhuswamy earned the trust and respect of Yediyurappa by being the sole face of the BJP over three days of the trust vote debate. He ensured the party never wavered, and was legally precise. It eventually paid off with the numbers in the House.