Revenue Minister R Ashok was named the Mandya district in-charge minister by Karnataka CM Bommai, the latter faced "boycott" with "Go back Ashok" banners.
Bengaluru: A day after Revenue Minister R Ashok was named the Mandya district in-charge minister by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the latter faced “boycott” with “Go back Ashok” banners.
As he travelled to Bengaluru to unfurl the tricolour on Republic Day, several posters with the message “Go Back Ashok” were placed along the city’s roads.
Who put up those posters remains a mystery, there has been dissent within the party in Mandya over Ashok replacing Gopalaiah.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai appointed Revenue Minister R Ashoka as the Minister in Charge of the Mandya district.
Ashoka replaced Excise Minister K Gopalaiah, who was appointed in charge of the district along with Hassan on January 24, 2023.
He was replaced with immediate effect by Minister R Ashoka. An official notification issued on Tuesday stated that the notification had been issued on the directions of the Chief Minister.
The Vokkaliga-dominated Mandya district is known as an important constituent of the Old Mysuru region, and Ashoka has been considered a well-known face of the BJP belonging to the community.
The Karnataka state assembly is set to be held shortly, and there are seven assembly constituencies in Mandya district, of which six are represented by the JD(S) and one by the BJP.
Narayanagowda is the sole saffron party representative in this district. He was elected to the 2018 assembly polls on Congress’ ticket from Krishnarajpet, later joined the BJP, and emerged victorious in the 2019 by-elections on BJP’s ticket from the same segment, which was the first-ever win for the ruling party in the district.
