Bharatiya Janata Party MLA representing Krishnaraja Assembly constituency in Mysuru S.A. Ramdas is among the ministerial probables from Mysuru district.
With Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa likely to make a trip to New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss various issues including ministry formation, speculation is rife that Mr. Ramdas, who had served as Minister for Medical Education during the previous BJP regime in the State, would return to the Cabinet. “I have not sought any ministerial berth. I will never ask”, Mr. Ramdas told. However, he said he was ready to discharge any responsibilities the party and the government entrusted upon him.
Mr. Ramdas, after his election as MLA in 2008, was first appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister before being inducted into the Cabinet in 2010 and entrusted with the Medical Education portfolio.
While the election of a new Speaker of the Legislative Assembly after the resignation of Mr. Ramesh Kumar from the post is scheduled for Wednesday, Mr. Yeddyurappa is expected to meet the Central leaders in New Delhi on Tuesday to sort out the thorny issue of accommodating ministerial aspirants in his Cabinet. “The party’s central leadership will make the final decision in the ministry making exercise”, said a senior BJP leader from Mysuru.
A total of three BJP MLAs had been elected from Mysuru district including Mr. Ramdas. The other two are Harshavardhan from Nanjangud, a constituency reserved for Scheduled Castes, and L. Nagendra from Chamaraja. While Mr. Ramdas, a four-time MLA from Krishnaraja, had also served as Minister in charge of Mysuru district in the previous BJP regime, Mr. Harshavardhan and Mr .Nagendra are both first-time MLAs.