'Loyal MLAs' denied berth in Jagdish Shettar government: Karunakara Reddy camp

BANGALORE: Supporters of former minister Karunakara Reddy today staged a protest against BJP central leadership for denying Ministerial berths to "loyal" MLAs of the party in the new government led by Jagadish Shettar.

Over a 1,000 supporters of Reddy, brother of mining baron and arrested former minister Janardhana Reddy, gathered in the Freedom Freedom Park here and shouted slogans against BJP central leadership, police said.

Belur Gopalakrishna, MLA from Sagara constituency, and M P Kumaraswamy, representing Moodigere Assembly constituency in Chikmagalur district were also present.

Karunakara was Revenue Minister in the Yeddyurappa cabinet but was not included in the previous D V Sadananda Ministry.

Speaking to reporters yesterday after holding a meeting with the disgruntled legislators, who were not inducted into the Jagadish Shettar's Ministry, Reddy had said the services of some senior legislators have been ignored and a few newcomers inducted into the Ministry.