<p>In a move that surprised many, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa inducted former Athani MLA Laxman Savadi and Nargund legislator C C Patil into the Cabinet on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Savadi, Patil and Krishna Palemar had achieved notoriety after they were caught watching a pornographic clip inside the Legislative Assembly in 2012. The trio was then in the Cabinet headed by D V Sadananda Gowda. </p>.<p>The scandal, christened Porngate, happened in February 2012 and became a major political embarassment for the BJP, which was trying to steady its ship under Gowda, after B S Yediyurappa was imprisoned in a denotification case.</p>.<p>The incident during the budget session of the Legislative Assembly in 2012 forced the MLAs to tender their resignations as ministers, as the scandal attracted widespread criticism across the State.</p>.<p>Subsequently, however, a Legislature Committee set up to probe the scandal exonerated two of them, while recommending censure of the third. </p>.<p>Inducting Savadi is being seen as an attempt to rein in Belagavi strongmen Umesh Katti and the Jarkiholi brothers. Besides, it is said that making Savadi a minister would assist the party in facing bye-elections to Athani and Kagwad constituencues whose incumbent Congress MLAs have been disqualified.</p>.<p>Besides, Savadi played a role in the 'Operation Lotus' that toppled the Congress-JD(S) coalition.</p>
<p>In a move that surprised many, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa inducted former Athani MLA Laxman Savadi and Nargund legislator C C Patil into the Cabinet on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Savadi, Patil and Krishna Palemar had achieved notoriety after they were caught watching a pornographic clip inside the Legislative Assembly in 2012. The trio was then in the Cabinet headed by D V Sadananda Gowda. </p>.<p>The scandal, christened Porngate, happened in February 2012 and became a major political embarassment for the BJP, which was trying to steady its ship under Gowda, after B S Yediyurappa was imprisoned in a denotification case.</p>.<p>The incident during the budget session of the Legislative Assembly in 2012 forced the MLAs to tender their resignations as ministers, as the scandal attracted widespread criticism across the State.</p>.<p>Subsequently, however, a Legislature Committee set up to probe the scandal exonerated two of them, while recommending censure of the third. </p>.<p>Inducting Savadi is being seen as an attempt to rein in Belagavi strongmen Umesh Katti and the Jarkiholi brothers. Besides, it is said that making Savadi a minister would assist the party in facing bye-elections to Athani and Kagwad constituencues whose incumbent Congress MLAs have been disqualified.</p>.<p>Besides, Savadi played a role in the 'Operation Lotus' that toppled the Congress-JD(S) coalition.</p>
