Karnataka: Karnataka MLA from BJP Laxman Savadi, who has been made the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, is neither a member of the Assembly nor the Council.
After Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa chose BJP MLA Laxman Savadi as one of his deputies, several senior BJP leaders have expressed resentment and questioned his induction into the cabinet.
Savadi was in news in 2012 after he was caught watching a sleazy clip on his phone in the state assembly along with another minister, CC Patil, who has been has been allotted Mines and Geology ministry in Yediyurappa’s cabinet. The two ministers then quit following public outrage.
Savadi had denied watching sleazy video in the assembly and said that he was “watching the footage to prepare for a discussion on the ill-effects of a rave party”.
The news channels positioned in the media gallery of the state assembly had captured the footage of the ministers watching clip on the phone.
The incident had brought huge embarrassment for the BJP.
His induction into the cabinet has created resentment among several senior BJP legislators including eight time Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti and Honnali MLA M P Renukacharya.
According to party sources quoted by the PTI news agency, Savadi comes from the dominant Lingayat community to which Yediyurappa also belongs. He was considered for DCM post to help the party from the Belagavi region.