After Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai assigned and allocated the ministerial berths to the ministers, Anand Singh, MLA for Vijayanagara district, expressed his discontentment over his Ecology, Environment and Tourism portfolio.
Mr Singh spoke to the media persons in Ballari on Saturday and clarified that Tourism was not the portfolio that he had demanded and added that he would once again request the Chief Minister to consider his demand.
Basavaraj Bommai said he has talked to his party colleague Anand Singh who expressed dissatisfaction on not being given the portfolio he wanted and reiterated that all ministers can’t be assigned the portfolios they want.
“Everyone can’t get the portfolios they want. He (Minister Anand Singh) is close to me so everything will be fine. I called him and spoke with him. I will handle it.” Bommai spoke to media persons.
Recalling his role in toppling the JD(S)-Congress government and bringing the BJP to power, Mr Singh said that he was expecting a bigger portfolio.
“I was the first one to resign from the Assembly. After eight days of my resignation, others began resigning. Because of our resignations, the BJP came to power in the State. Party leaders should have allocated a major portfolio to me considering it,” Mr Singh said, exuding confidence of getting his portfolio changed after meeting the Chief Minister.
“I will request the Chief Minister once again to change his decision and allocate me the portfolio I wanted. Let him say whether or not I am capable of handling the portfolio that I had demanded. What is lacking in me? Don’t I have the competence? Didn’t I do anything to the party? Wasn’t there my contribution in bringing the BJP into power in the State? Let them say that there was no contribution of mine. If he asks me to accept what is allocated to me or leave it, I will follow,” Mr Singh said.
When asked what would be his next course of action if his demand was not considered, Mr Singh hinted at refusing the portfolio and remaining as a member of the assembly. “I would do what I have decided to,” he said.
