Bengaluru : Disgruntled BJP MLA Anand Singh today hinted at resigning as the Karnataka tourism minister, saying that his political future rests in the hands of Lord Krishna.
“I want to tell one thing to the media. I started my political life from this very Venugopala Krishna temple. I do not know whether my political life will end or will restart from this very temple. We have to wait and watch. My political fate is in the hands of Lord Krishna,” he said in Vijayanagara city.
He told reporters after conducting a “Maha Puja” at Sri Venu Gopala Krishna temple which was built by his grandfather. He had started his political life after conducting puja in 2008. Singh pins great importance to the divinity of the temple. Before resigning as a Congress legislator, he had performed a similar Maha Puja in this temple.
Singh has been nursing disappointment over the portfolio was allocated to him. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai allocated the tourism portfolio, but he is reportedly demanding energy or public works ministry. Apart from this, he is yet to visit Vidhana Soudha (the assembly building) and has not occupied his chamber.
Talking to media, Singh said he is yet to decide on the day of visit to Bengaluru to meet Bommai. “I have received summons from the chief minister. After going through my schedules…I will decide on the date for Bengaluru visit. As of now, I have not yet decided on it,” he said.
Earlier in the morning, Bommai told mediapersons that he had asked Singh to visit Bengaluru as per his convenience. He hoped to resolve the problem after discussing the issue with Singh.
Singh refused to relent from his demand for a portfolio other than tourism. He also refuted the criticism that he was seeking power and pelf by asking for a particular portfolio.
“Whatever I had said on August 7, I stand by it. There is no question of relenting from that demand. Yes, I have been dismayed. I am one among those who speaks straight. I do not blackmail and bring embarrassment to the party,” he said.
“Also, I want to make it clear. Some of them are criticising me for going behind a better portfolio. To those, I want to say that I have not joined politics to make money. I have to serve the people of my district,” he added.
Singh also said he has faith in Lord Krishna as well as the party’s leadership, but expressed doubts whether they have faith in him.
“I have faith in Lord Krishna, who protected Arjuna in the battlefield of Mahabharata. Likewise, I have faith in our leadership, but whether they have faith in me? I am beginning to doubt,” he said.
He said he has discussed the issue with former chief minister B S Yediyurappa and also the present chief minister, but would not speak much on it, in order to honour the request of the elders asking him not to reveal anything to the media.
“On August 8, I discussed the issue with Yediyurappa and returned. I did not ask him anything because he gave me whatever I had asked for. He carved out Vijayanagara district out of Ballari …,” he said.
“If he would have continued as the chief minister, I would not have taken such a stance…I have not put any pressure, but had made a request. Likewise, I have also requested the present chief minister Bommai sahab,” Singh added.
Bommai said, “He (Singh) has been a friend of mine for the past three decades. We are constantly in touch. I spoke to him yesterday also. Even today I spoke to him. I know his demand. I have also explained some of the issues. When he comes and meets me (in Bengaluru), everything will be alright.”
Yesterday, Singh’s staff had taken down the name board at his legislator’s residence-cum-office at Vijayanagara city. This has created political ripples in the state.
A video depicting the same had gone viral on Twitter. In another video, Singh’s office wears a deserted look. His staff also has informed the people of Singh’s unavailability to receive their pleas and grievances.
Asked about the taking down of the name board, Singh said: “I do not want to comment on this. I have told the chief minister what I have to say.”
In the recent days, he has not even once visited the Vidhana Soudha and he is yet to occupy his chamber. Sources say Singh is demanding energy or public works portfolios. Energy ministry has been allocated to Sunil Kumar.
Earlier in Ballari, Singh had hinted that he would resign if his demand was not met. “I am a stubborn man. I will not bog down for any reason. I will even resign from my assembly membership if my demand is not met,” he had threatened.
These threats from Singh are not new. He had issued such threats during the JDS-Congress coalition government while demanding district status to Vijayanagara.
When the JDS-Congress coalition government refused to heed to his demand, Singh resigned as Congress legislator and paved the way for other rebel JDS and Congress MLAs to resign.
After their resignations, the rebel JDS and Congress legislators joined BJP and toppled the coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy and paved the way for Yediyurappa to win trust vote in the state assembly and form the government.
After assuming charge as a minister in the BJP government, Singh had allegedly pressured Yediyurappa threatening to resign as a minister and quit the party if the Vijayanagara district was not carved out of Ballari.
Apparently sensing the danger it could cause to the government, Yediyurappa’s government approved the new district on November 18, 2020, and finally announced Vijayanagara as the 31st district in its gazette notification.
UNIÂ
