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Oh god! This burden of mine is no |
Jaggesh wants a lucrative position equivalent to that of cabinet minister but all the party could offer him was the post of vice-chairman in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).The chairman's seat is already occupied by minister R Ashok.
"He was in a debt trap before he joined the BJP and the deal was that the party would help him repay his loans and make him the chairman of a well-to-do board or corporation," said a source close to Jaggesh. "But nothing has been fulfilled."
Cash, post, licence
Sources said he owed around Rs 15 crore to various parties just after he was elected as an MLA from Turuvekere last May. BJP leaders are understood to have assured him of cash and a plum post in a board or corporation apart from a mining licence in Chikaknayakanahalli all in return for defecting to their party.
Unkept promise
But there's a huge gap between what Jaggesh was promised and what he has been given. The cash doled out was not a big deal. Neither is the post of KSRTC vice-chairman.
Add to that the government's cold feet over issuing him a mining licence.
"He doesn't have powers in KSRTC since transport minister R Ashok is in the chairman's seat," said the source.
"Jaggesh's position is ornamental and is not helping him in any way."
When Jaggesh aired his grievances with party leaders, they dared him to contest in the by-election from his constituency for a re-election. If he was not satisfied with what he had got, he could leave the party, they are reported to have told him.
Re-election is not an option for Jaggesh since he's not only run out of money but has also lost the confidence of voters. There are no bargaining tools left since he cannot go back to the Congress either.
"Yes, I know I am in trouble," said Jaggesh. " But I hope I will come out of it and will get the blessings of my party leaders. In life, there are good times and bad times, which are not permanent."
