Karnataka CM revokes transfer orders of top officials

Fulfilling yet another condition of dissident leaders as part of the compromise formula worked with them, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today revoked the transfer orders of some top bureaucrats, almost two weeks after they were shunted out by him.

The decision comes after V P Baligar, principal secretary to the chief minister, was shifted last week and panchayati raj and rural development minister and Yeddyurappa’s close confidante, Shobha Karandlaje, was made to resign on Monday.

With this, the chief minister has met three of the six major condition of the rebel leaders. The earlier transfer of officials had angered the rebel leaders — Tourism Minister G Janardhan Reddy, his brother and Revenue Minister G Karunakar Reddy, and their close associate Health Minister B Sreeramulu.

N V Prasad, an IAS official of Sreeramulu, is back as deputy commissioner of Gadag. Prasad was earlier transferred as the Dharwad Zilla Panchayat CEO after differences between Yeddyurappa and Reddy brothers and Sreeramulu widened.

B Shivappa, a confidante of the Reddy brothers, has also returned to his earlier posting as Deputy Commissioner of Bellary. Yeddyurappa had moved him to Bidar. The CM has also ordered for transfer of Harsha Gupta as deputy commissioner of Shimoga, his home district, from Bellary and transfer of Pankaj Kumar Pandey, who was deputy commissioner of Shimoga, to Bidar.

Yeddyurappa also reversed the transfer of IPS officers as part of the truce with the dissidents. D C Rajappa, the Bellary Superintendent of Police, was transferred and posted in Shimoga district.

According to the compromise formula, Yeddyurappa is also required to recast his ministry and reallocate portfolio in the coming days.