K’taka CM announces ministerial berth to Muniratna during poll campaign

Karnataka Chief Minister, B. S. Yediyurappa assured the Rajajeshwari Nagara voters that BJP candidate, N. Muniratnawil be made minister if he wins by-polls on November 3.

Speaking to reporters ahead of his poll rally in RR Nagara constituency here on Saturday, Yediyurappa said that there should not be any doubts on Muniratna becoming minister in his cabinet. “He will be made minister soon after his victory in this bypolls,” he said in response to a question.

He conceded that the exercise had been put on hold for quite some time now due to various reasons but it will be completed son,

“I will go Delhi once bypoll results are announced and meet our party senior leaders to discuss it,” he said.

Asked about his announcement at the road show that Munirathna would be made minister, the CM asserted that he made such an assurance as he was 100 per cent confident of his victory.

Earlier addressing a road show, Yediyurappa had appealed to voters to elect Munirathna by at least a 50,000 vote margin and allow him to be the minister in his cabinet.

Lauding the steps taken by Munirathna to help people of his constituency during the Covid induced lockdown, the CM said that Rs 900 crore worth work has already been sanctioned in the constituency. “If he wins, he will bring more development,” he added.

However, Yediyurappa’s announcement has not gone down well with the Congress party, which has pitted a greenhorn, H. Kusuma against battle hardened Muniratna.

Taking strong objections, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, D. K. Shivakumar alleged that Yediyurappa had violated the poll code by making such an announcement.

“I am not against the BJP making him (Muniratna) the chief minister, but announcing he would be made minister by none other than CM amounts to poll code violation,” he said.

The RR Nagar bypoll has become a prestigious battle with all three political parties — BJP, Congress and JD(S) fighting it out fiercely.

The election was warranted as Munirathna, a former Congress MLA, resigned from the assembly last year and joined the BJP. The Congress has fielded H. Kusuma, a widow of IAS officer, D. K. Ravi while the JD(S) has fielded V. Krishnamurthy both are political greenhorns.

The by elections at RR Nagar in the city and Sira in Tumakuru district will be held on November 3. Counting of votes is on November 10.