BENGALURU: With the legislative session coming to an end, lobbying for ministerial berths has resumed, and Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa appears ready to rejig his cabinet. He is set to make a second trip to New Delhi in less than two weeks to discuss the cabinet and aspirants with the BJP central leadership. Yediyurappa told reporters on Monday that he will visit New Delhi in the next 2-3 days to finalise expansion plans. “There is no problem any more for cabinet expansion. I will expand the cabinet soon,” he said.
On his last visit earlier in September, Yediyurappa had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda on the same issue. Yediyurappa had claimed that he wanted to expand the cabinet before the session, but was awaiting the central leadership’s decision. With Home Minister Amit Shah resuming work, Yediyurappa’s next Delhi trip is likely to be more fruitful, and concrete decisions are likely to be taken.
By elevating Tourism Minister C T Ravi as National General Secretary,a the leadership has made way for him to be dropped from the cabinet and a new face to be accommodated. Hectic lobbying is on, with aspirants knocking on the doors of Yediyurappa, State Unit Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and central BJP leaders. MLCs R Shankar and MTB Nagaraj are sure to be accommodated in the cabinet, while H Vishwanath’s ministerial berth is still in contention. MLC CP Yogeshwar, MLAs Umesh Katti, Sunil Kumar, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Arvind Limbavali, Poornima K and Mahesh Kumathalli are anticipating being inducted into the cabinet, while ministers Shashikala Jolle, Kota Srinivas Poojari, CT Ravi and Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi are likely to face the axe.