• Takes down MLA name board at residence-cum-office  
• CM Basavaraj Bommai refutes Singh’s resignation reports

Bengaluru: Creating political ripples over the portfolio allocated to him in the Basavaraj Bommai Cabinet, Minister for Environment, Ecology and Tourism Anand Singh, who is eyeing the plum Energy or Public Works Department, has removed the MLA name board at his Legislator’s residence-cum-office at Vijayanagara in city. 

Though sources said that Singh has tendered his resignation to the Minister’s post, Chief Minister Bommai dismissed them this morning as just rumours. “He is a friend of three decades. I am in touch with him regularly and have spoken to him yesterday and will talk to him again.”

The CM further revealed that he had asked Anand Singh to personally meet him either today or day after tomorrow. Bommai further said, “All his concerns will be addressed after he meets me.” When asked whether he had handed over his resignation from the Cabinet during the meeting on Sunday, Bommai said, “There is nothing like that. I will talk to him again. It will be addressed.”

Temple visit at Vijayanagara

Anand Singh is also set to be contemplating resigning from the MLA’s post too and this morning, he visited Sri Venugopalaswamy Temple at Vijayanagara and cryptically told reporters that he began his political journey at this temple.

“My political journey started years ago from this particular temple and it might end here itself. I will take a call on that later and I am scheduled to go to Bengaluru to meet the CM as he has called for a meeting. I have, however, not decided on the exact date of my Bengaluru visit,” he said, refusing to answer the volley of questions asked by newsmen. 

On Aug. 7, a day after the portfolios were announced, Anand Singh had threatened to take extreme decisions if his portfolio was not changed and had asked CM Bommai to reconsider his demand. He also said that it was because of his resignation as the Legislator, the BJP came to power in the State.

Ever since the portfolios were announced, Anand Singh has not even once visited Vidhana Soudha and he is yet to occupy his chamber. “I will request the CM to consider my demand. Tell me, am I not capable of handling the portfolio I had asked for? Am I not competent? Didn’t I do anything to the party? Wasn’t there my contribution in bringing the BJP to power? Let them say, if I am not capable. I will obey whatever their decision is,” he said.

Repeated threats

These threats from Singh are not new. He had issued such threats during the JD(S)-Congress Coalition Government while demanding district status to Vijayanagara. In fact, during the Congress-JD(S) Coalition Government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy, Singh’s resignation had started a flurry of resignations by JD(S) and Congress Legislators to topple the Government and had brought BJP to power.

Sources said that for the BJP to come to power, former CM Yediyurappa had assured Singh of carving out Vijayanagara district and also allocate a plum Cabinet berth to him. Soon after assuming charge as a Minister in BJP Government, Singh had reportedly pressured BSY threatening to resign and quit the party if Vijayanagara district was not carved out of Ballari.

Apparently sensing the danger it could cause to the Government, Yediyurappa’s Government approved the new district on November 18, 2020, and finally announced Vijayanagara as the 31st district in its gazette notification. Now again Singh is pressing for a coveted portfolio.