BENGALURU/BELAGAVI: After winning stability in Karnataka with the bypoll sweep, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa too faces the problem of ‘cab’ . While the entire country is consumed with CAB (cabinet amendment bill), the CM is focusing on expanding his cabinet before December 14 and is likely to visit New Delhi in two-three days to get the central leadership’s nod. The process of the much-talked-about ministry expansion has been set in motion and the CM is said to be keen on completing the process in the next few days. He is trying to get the list of MLAs to be inducted into the cabinet cleared by party president Amit Shah by Wednesday.
But as PM Narendra Modi and Shah are busy with the upcoming Jharkhand assembly polls and parliament session, the CM may not be able to meet them personally but the list of ministers is likely to be cleared by them at any moment, sources said. If the list gets Shah’s nod by Wednesday, the cabinet expansion is likely to take place on December 12, sources said. However, if the ministry expansion is not done before December 16 when Dhanurmasam (inauspicious month) will start, it is likely to be delayed till ‘Sankranti’ on January 14, according to sources. Normally, important works are not be taken up during Dhanurmasam.
On Tuesday, Yediyurappa reiterated his commitment to induct newly elected legislators, who had helped the BJP form government in the state. These 11 formerly disqualified legislators, won the bypolls as the BJP candidates. Senior BJP leaders Umesh Katti and Aravind Limbavali are also likely to be inducted if the CM gets a go ahead from the central leadership.
Meanwhile, Ramesh Jarkiholi, BJP MLA from Gokak, who played a crucial role in the collapse of the JDS-Congress coalition government and also in the formation of the BJP government in the state is likely to be rewarded with the plum Water Resources portfolio. However, it is still not clear if he will also be made Deputy Chief Minister.
Shrimant, Umesh Katti to be in?
Already, several MLAs from Belagavi have listed the irrigation projects which they want Jarkiholi to implement on top priority soon after taking over as Water Resources Minister.Besides Jarkiholi, Yediyurappa is expected to induct MLAs Mahesh Kumathalli, Shrimant Patil and Umesh Katti from Belagavi in his cabinet. Sources said, the BJP may even drop Kumathalli in order to accommodate some of senior MLAs including Umesh Katti. In that case, Kumathalli may have to be content with the post of chairman of one of the noted local bodies which the government may offer him as an alternative.
Energy, another important portfolio, is likely to be given to an MLA of Belagavi. Jarkiholi is said to be keen to hold the plum portfolios which his political bete noire D K Shivakumar held in the previous coalition government. Jarkiholi may be also be given Energy portfolio, according to sources.Meanwhile, the newly elected BJP legislators -- Byrati Basavaraj, K Gopalaiah and ST Somashekar --- from Bengaluru are said to be lobbying for the plum Bengaluru Development portfolio.
Lobbying on for Bengaluru Development portfolio
The newly elected BJP legislators -- Byrati Basavaraj, K Gopalaiah and ST Somashekar --- from Bengaluru are said to be lobbying for the plum Bengaluru Development portfolio