BJP oldtimers go quiet, let new entrants fend off Oppn attacks on govt, party

BENGALURU: Ministers in Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s Cabinet, who are originally from the BJP itself, seem to have taken a backseat and given up their aggressive posturing over major political issues in the run-up to the Assembly election.

Whether it is attacking Congress leaders D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah of defending the government on various issues, the BJP has apparently left the task to those who had crossed over from the Congress. The opposition Congress too is reacting strongly to leaders like Dr K Sudhakar and Ramesh Jarkiholi while ignoring the other ministers.

The oldtimers in the BJP have not been reacting strongly to the Congress allegations even when it comes to the government, party or the RSS and many of the ministers do not even seem to be supporting the government on key issues.

It is reliably learnt that dissatisfaction has been expressed at party fora over the conduct of the BJP ministers and there is anger that the oldtimers are not putting up a good fight in the electoral battlefield. Whether the BJP ministers shift gears and get into a more aggressive mode remains to be seen.