Eshwarappa courts controversy with Aishwarya Rai remark

Bengaluru: Minister K S Eshwarappa on Friday stoked a controversy by likening the post of the Deputy Chief Minister with film actor Aishwarya Rai.

“…who doesn’t want the post (of deputy chief minister)? A young man coming of age aspires for someone like Aishwarya Rai. Isn’t she just one?” the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj told reporters.

He was replying to a query on whether any of the disqualified MLAs after winning the election can be made the Deputy Chief Minister.

The B S Yediyurappa-led Cabinet has three Deputy Chief Ministers.

While acknowledging the “contribution” of the disqualified Congress and JDS MLAs, Eshwarappa said had they not resigned from their parties the JD(S), the BJP government would not have come to power.

Eshwarappa said politicians do have aspirations, but there should be scope for fulfilling them as everybody cannot be made Deputy Chief Minister.

As many as 13 out of 15 disqualified MLAs contested the December 5 bypolls on a BJP ticket.

Now all eyes are set on December 9 when the election results will be announced.

The outcome will decide the future of the B S Yediyurappa-led government, as the BJP needs to win at least six seats to remain in majority in the Assembly.

BJP has 105 MLAs (including an independent) in the assembly with the current strength of 208 after the disqualifications, while Congress has 66 and the JD(S) 34.

There is also one BSP member, a nominated member and the Speaker.