Bengaluru: Union minister of state for heavy industries and Davangere BJP MP G.M. Siddeshwar escaped being ejected from the Union Cabinet during the reshuffle effected on Tuesday. Reason: It was his birthday and he reportedly pleaded with party national president Amit Shah that he should be spared for the time being!
Mr Siddeshwar, who has been dubbed a ‘non-performer,’ disclosed this in Davangere Tuesday evening saying he would put in his papers in 4-5 days.
Once he resigns, the dominant Lingayat community will have no representation in the Union Cabinet. Siddeshwar was inducted into the Narendra Modi ministry in 2014 to make up for the absence of veteran Lingayat leader B.S.Yeddyurappa, who could not make it because of corruption charges pending against him.
Now that Yeddyurappa has assumed the high profile post of BJP state president, there was no rationale for continuing with Siddeshwar in the Cabinet, said sources.
