Despite camping for five days in capital, lobbying hard for a cabinet berth he returned empty handed
Despite camping for five days in capital, lobbying hard for a cabinet berth he returned empty handedGovernor H R Bharadwaj may have completed two years in office on Wednesday, but he was unable to convince high command to elevate his position. He returned empty-handed after camping in Delhi for five days and lobbying hard for a central cabinet berth, even as the cabinet reshuffle is expected in the first week of July.
Burdened? Sources say Bharadwaju00a0 pleaded to be relieved of his post as
Governor citing the reason that he had completed two years of service
and was tired of the post. Pic/Ramesh HS Before leaving for the city yesterday, the controversial governor said, "I had come here for a personal reason and there is nothing political about my visit. My grand children have come from London and I spent some time with them."
While his version was not entirely a lie, it was half stated because he did enough while in the national capital to push his case for a ministerial position and met several leaders of the ruling Congress.
According to sources, he pleaded to be relieved of his post as Governor and he used the fact that he had completed two years of service and also said that he was tired of the post.
"He is a veteran Congress leader and wants to be in active politics. His performance as law minister in the UPA 1 was remarkable and now he is particular to return to his old role. But, I think the present situation is not favourable for him," said a senior Congress leader.
The party high command is understood to have chosen to tread cautiously in Bharadwaj's case, as he has raised enough in the wake of unprecedented developments in the state of Karnataka.
He had recommended for dismissal of the Yeddyurappa government in October last year, after 17 legislators including five independents wrote to him taking back support to the government.
This was followed by speaker K G Bopiah disqualifying them and the CM seeking trust vote in their absence, amidst an unpredicted din in the house. But, the Congress led UPA government rubbished his report and Yeddyurappa won the vote of confidence twice in the gap of two days.
In the pastBharadwaj once again made headlines in May this year by rejecting the CM's request call to the assembly session after the SC restored membership of the disqualified MLAs and they chose to go back to Yeddyurappa's fold. He sent a second report recommending dismissal of the state government, but the union government once again discouraged him.
The development gave rise to wide range of BJP protests in the state demanding his recall, and the tumult died down with Yeddyurappa getting advisory from the centre.
"With all these developments in the backdrop, the party leadership thought it would be sensitive to take Bharadwaj into the cabinet as it might send out the wrong signals," said the source.
Quite disappointedBut, the party stand seems to have failed to comfort a disappointed Bharadwaj, who is apparently tired of the gubernatorial assignment.
"He is seething in private, but we can't help. He has to wait for the right time to re-enter active politics," the source added.
Meanwhile, the Congress high command has signaled a change in the cabinet, which would mean a lot for the state.
K H Muniappa, state rank minister for railways, is tipped to be elevated to the cabinet rank changing his portfolio.
In such case, Mallikarjuna Kharge, a fellow Dalit, has to be dropped from the cabinet. That would push him to tussle for leadership in the state as fellow senior leader and Cabinet Minister S M Krishna nurses desires to return to state politics.
Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes, who is close party chief Sonia Gandhi, is hinted to be taken into the cabinet, in which case
Law Minister Veerappa Moily may have to make way for fellow leader from the coastal area ufffd Bharadwaj.
