BSY reaches out to sulking MLAs as discontent continues to

A day after the expansion of the Karnataka cabinet with the induction of 17 Ministers, discontent among those who failed to secure Ministerial berths refused to die down on Wednesday, even as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa made attempts to douse the embers.

As the expansion brought an end to the nearly month long wait for the cabinet to take shape, it led to some heartburn in a section of the party as several MLAs continued to make no secret of their displeasure after missing the bus.

Yediyurappa has sought to reach out to the sulking MLAs, specifically eight-time Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti, whom several legislators who could not make it to the Ministry reportedly met.

"For one hour yesterday I have spoken to him (Katti) in the presence of Basavaraj Bommai (Minister). Naturally he is pained at not getting an opportunity. I will try to find a remedy," Yediyurappa told reporters in Tumakuru.

On discontent expressed by Honnali MLA M P Renukacharya about a former legislator Laxman Savadi, who is neither a member of the Assembly nor the Council, being made the Minister, sidelining several sitting MLAs, he said "I will call Renukacharya and friends and talk to them."
...there are 224 MLAs in the state, among them only 34 can become Minister, if I don't have luck, what can I do?"
Questioning why a senior MLA like Umesh Katti was not made a Minister, Renukacharya however said he would never go against the party or Yediyurappa and "will not go knocking at the doors of other party leaders."
"False information is being spread against me...if my self esteem is hurt, I will resign immediately, but will not go knocking at other's doors."
Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, he said "we will also have to give some berths to several legislators (disqualified MLAs) who have come from Congress and JD(S). So keeping aside some berths, BJP legislators have been made ministers."