Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has proved all naysayers wrong as he formed a full cabinet of 34 ministers, including himself, with no vacant berths.
However, the most notable name missing from the council of ministers was that of Laxman Savadi, the former deputy chief minister who defected from BJP to Congress just six weeks before voting and played a major role in ensuring the Grand Old Party’s victory in about 30-35 assembly seats.
Savadi’s switch from BJP to Congress changed the public perception about the saffron party and breached its Lingayat fortress, leading to its collapse.
Following Savadi, former chief minister and fellow Lingayat leader Jagadish Shettar also joined the Congress, upset over not being repeated. Though he lost his seat, his joining the party helped the Congress win Lingayat votes in the state.
Savadi, who won by a huge margin of over 75,000 votes from Athani in Belagavi district, was widely expected to be a cabinet minister in the Siddaramaiah government. However, he did not make it to the final list and many in the Congress are shocked over his exclusion.
According to insiders, Savadi’s name was dropped over a dispute between Siddaramaih and DK Shivakumar on rewarding defectors. KM Shivalingegowda of the JDS, who won on the Congress ticket from Arasikere in Hassan district, demanded that he should also be included in the list but it was shot down by the high command. To balance it, they also dropped Savadi’s name.
A top Lingayat leader of the Congress expressed unhappiness over the move, saying there is no comparison between Savadi and Gowda. “Savadi is a much bigger leader and has helped Congress in 30-35 assembly seats by getting almost all his sub-caste Ganiga votes. It has changed the results and we have won big. Gowda has won his seat. Congress could not win any other seat in Hassan district. Where is the comparison? Gowda is no match to Savadi. We strongly feel that Savadi should have been included, keeping the upcoming Lok Sabha election and local body polls in mind,” he said.
Though Savadi has not expressed unhappiness over his exclusion in public, his supporters have openly criticised the move.
Lingayat votes play a major role in 14 of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. They argue that Savadi could have helped Congress in retaining the Lingayat votes.
His exclusion has also been bad optics for the Congress which is yet to regain the confidence of Lingayats and defectors from the BJP.
Shettar too expressed surprise over the move and hoped that both he and Savadi would get the cabinet berth in future.
There are also talks of nominating Shettar to the Upper House of the Legislature in June. If the ruling Congress manages to get majority in the Upper House, Shettar could be the Chairman.
But how will Congress pacify Savadi and justify his exclusion from the cabinet? Some in the party feel that Savadi will be made an important office-bearer of the Congress in the state and will be entrusted with strengthening the party further in the Mumbai-Karnataka region.
The Congress, which won with a landslide majority, will have to tread carefully to avoid any revolt in future and keep the sensitive Lingayats happy.
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