Vijayapura MP Ramesh Jigajinagi Voices Displeasure Over Cabinet Exclusion

Vijayapura MP and BJP leader Ramesh Jigajinagi expressed his disappointment at not being included in the Union Council of Ministers, despite his long-standing service and Dalit representation. Jigajinagi raised concerns over perceived anti-Dalit sentiments within the BJP and highlighted his electoral success and community support.

Vijayapura MP and BJP leader Ramesh Jigajinagi has expressed his disappointment at not being appointed as a Minister in the Union Council of Ministers, stating that he feels "deeply hurt." Addressing his supporters on Tuesday, Jigajinagi pointed out that he is the only Dalit MP from South India to have been elected to Parliament seven times.

"Look at my luck - all the upper castes became cabinet ministers. Didn't Dalits support BJP? I am deeply hurt," he lamented. Jigajinagi added that while he does not seek a cabinet post for himself, he faces criticism from his constituents. "There is pressure from the people for me to become a minister at the centre. Is it fair or unfair?" he questioned.

Throughout his four-decade political career, Jigajinagi has never lost a parliamentary election, winning seven consecutive terms from the Chikkodi and Bijapur constituencies. In the 2024 general election, Jigajinagi won from Karnataka's Bijapur Parliamentary Constituency by a margin of 77,229 votes, securing 672,781 votes overall.

In the same election, the BJP won 17 out of the 28 Parliamentary Constituencies in Karnataka, with Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) securing 9 and 2 seats, respectively. The BJP and JD-S had allied to contest the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka, with BJP contesting 25 seats and JD-S three seats.

In Modi's Cabinet 3.0, two leaders from Karnataka have been appointed to key positions. Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy has been named Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, while Nirmala Sitharaman, representing Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, has been reappointed as Finance Minister, retaining her crucial portfolio. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)