More will quit Patel team — Rebel

Bangalore, March 4: Former Minister D T Jayakumar, who resigned in protest against non -elevation of his post in the recent cabinet expan...

Bangalore, March 4: Former Minister D T Jayakumar, who resigned in protest against non -elevation of his post in the recent cabinet expansion, said on Wednesday that Chief Minister J H Patel should resign , making way for others to rule the state as the party would be wiped out if continued under Patel’s rule.

In the same breath he said at least now Patel should have a talk with senior leaders like Deve Gowda, Bommai and Siddaramaiah and implement a Kamaraj Plan, seeking the resignations of all ministers and reconstruct a compact and manageable cabinet of 30- 35 ministers.

He challenged Patel that he would quit politics if Patel came out properly with the names of fifty one ministers and their portfolios.

Describing the government as weak, inefficient and corrupt, Jayakaumar at a press conference on Wednesday said that deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too might resign after presenting the budget in the Assembly. Though he could not name them, he said at least five more ministers will be resigningshortly.

He said there are about 50 MLAs who are not keen on any post but wanted a change of leadership as they are disgusted with the present rule so that they could face elections with some dignity and self respect.

He said he was shifted from horticulture portfolio, where he claimed he did a commendable job, only because Patel wanted to hit at Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah through him. He had to pay a price for criticising openly the style of operation of Principal Secretary to CM, Mr. B S Patil, whom he called a defacto chief minister and a satan’. “Unless this evil is sent out, people in the state can not heave a sigh of relief. Unless this evil satan is sent out, Patel can not see the reality”, he said.

He said Patel did not even had the courtesty to invite him to check with the reasons for submitting resignation but recoommended governor to accept his resignation. Earlier when he handed over a resignation letter to Deve Gowda when he was the chief minister, the former Prime Minister pocketed itafter tearing it without reading it. “But then Deve Gowda is described as casteist, while Patel enjoys a tag of being a socialist. One can trust a know casteist but the one who masquarade as a socialist is a dangerous person”, he said.

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He claimed there are 50 more party legisaltors disgusted with Patel’s style of functioning will who will meet on Thursday to chalk out their future course of action in their fight for a change of leadership.