ZP election results cost Minister Jain his post?

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jun 20, 2016: Has the outcome of the recent elections to the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat cost K. Abhayachandra Jain his portfolio in the State Council of Ministers? Close confidants of Mr. Jain suspect so.

The Congress lost all the five zilla panchayat constituencies under the Mulki-Moodbidri Assembly constituency to the BJP. The BJP candidates made it to the council of the panchayat from Kateel, Kinnigoli, Bajpe, Shirtady and Puttige zilla panchayat constituencies.

Sources close to Mr. Jain said that they did not see any other “strong reason” for Mr. Jain being dropped from the Council of Ministers.

If the results of the zilla panchayat elections were taken as any indication of the party’s prospects in the next Assembly elections, the Congress might have considered it as a set-back, they said.

However, his close confidants do not have much idea about his performance as a Minister in the State level.

Mr. Jain first entered the State Legislature in 1995 as MLC, and he did not turn back. He was elected to the State Legislative Assembly for four times in 1999, 2004, 2008 and in the 2013 elections. Though a senior member, he became a Minister for the first time in the Siddaramaiah-led Council of Ministers.

As Minister of State for Youth Empowerment and Sports, Mr. Jain took the lead in organising the National Federation Cup athletics meet in Mangaluru in May last. Though he mooted building a swimming pool of international standard at Emmekere, it could not take off during his term as Minister. Mr. Jain also took lead in developing the Swaraj Maidan at Moodbidri and constructed a swimming pool in the Jain pilgrimage town.

With Mr. Jain out of the Cabinet, Dakshina Kannada is left with two Ministers of the Cabinet rank.

Courtesy : The Hindu