BJP sacks minister for supporting BSY in Karnataka
New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday sacked Cooperative Minister B J Puttaswamy, a loyalist of the former Chief Minister, from the cabinet after his open support to former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.
“As a disciplinary measure, Puttaswamy has been dropped from the cabinet. He participated in so many meetings of the new party and campaigned for the new party. So, it is indiscipline in the party’s view. Have already sent the letter to the Governor to drop him from the cabinet,” Shettar told reporters here.
Party state unit President and Deputy Chief Minister Easwarappa announced the decision to suspend Basavaraj from the party.
Ministers C M Udasi, Murugesh Nirani, M P Renukacharya, V Somanna, B J Puttaswamy, Shobha Karandlaje and Umesh Katti and about two dozen legislators were present at the meeting held at Belgaum.
Shettar and Easwarappa, who met senior BJP leaders including President Nitin Gadkari, also warned of strong action against Yeddyurappa’s other loyalists. Former Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and party’s national leader Ananth Kumar were also present in the meeting.
In Bangalore, a Raj Bhavan communiqué said Governor HR Bhardwaj accepted the recommendation of Shettar to drop Puttaswamy from the ministry.
The Chief Minister in a letter today requested the Governor to drop Puttaswamy with immediate effect.
