Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Sunday clarified that none of the disqualified MLAs who were not yet become members of either of the legislature Houses — R. Shankar, who did not contest the December 2019 bypolls, and A.H. Vishwanath and N. Nagaraju (MTB) who contested but lost in the bypolls — can be made Ministers now.

“The Supreme Court order had upheld disqualification of the MLAs. There are technical issues in making them Ministers. They must understand that,” he said. Article 164 (1B) of the Constitution bars a disqualified MLA from being made a Minister till the end of the tenure of the Assembly or till when the MLA becomes a member of either of the Houses, whichever is earlier. While remaining silent on Mr. Vishwanath and Mr. Nagaraju’s prospects, he said Mr. Shankar would be made an MLC and Minister in due course, as was promised to him during the bypolls.

With all these three leaders belonging to the Kuruba community, the development has taken a caste turn. Halumata Mahasabha, Kaginele, has issued a statement demanding that all three of them be given ministries as was promised. If the Chief Minister failed to keep his promise, it would be akin to what the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy did, the mahasabha stated.

Mr. Nagaraju has alleged that the BJP was responsible for his defeat and demanded that disciplinary action be initiated against party MP B.N. Bache Gowda.

Sources close to the Chief Minister maintained it was a coincidence that all three were from the same community and pointed out that B.A. (Byrathi) Basavaraj, also from the same community and who won the bypoll, was being made a Minister now.

Name finalised: Savadi

Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Sunday said the BJP had finalised his candidature for the lone seat in the Legislative Council for which the election is scheduled for February 17.

“The party has also discussed filing of nominations with me. Since I am the Deputy Chief Minister, it goes without saying that I will have to become a member of the Council in six months,” he said.

Mr. Savadi, who lost the 2018 Assembly polls from Athani, was inducted into the Cabinet on August 20, 2019 and later made Deputy Chief Minister. He has to become a member of either of the Houses within six months to retain his Ministry.

When asked about other aspirants for the sole MLC seat from among the new entrants to the BJP, he said four seats would become vacant in June 2020 and others would be accommodated then. “All of those who have been promised a Ministry will get their chance. They will have to wait,” he said.