BENGALURU: As the guessing game on cabinet expansion continues, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday reiterated that the much-awaited exercise would be taken up soon, as he has discussed it with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.Before the cabinet meeting on Friday, he said, “I have spoken to Amit Shah and it will happen soon.
”CMO sources said that Shah had called the CM to dissuade him from going ahead with the decision to recommend to the Centre giving OBC tag to Veerashaiva-Linagayat community, which was listed in the cabinet agenda.
Sources said that though the CM expressed confidence of taking up the ministry expansion in two-three days, there is no buzz on such an exercise in New Delhi.A senior cabinet member from the state, who is among several ministers from Karnataka camping in the national capital, said, “There is no talk of ministry expansion”, and indicated that it may take more time.
The CM recently visited New Delhi to seek approval for the ministry expansion and was waiting for the high command nod. A number of ministers abstaining from the Friday cabinet meeting to rush to Delhi to attend BJP national general secretary CT Ravi’s office inauguration or to attend party programmes outside Bengaluru too raised many eyebrows. While the CM was about to take the major decision, which many termed as a masterstroke to further consolidate his hold over the Lingayat community, several senior ministers were busy meeting central leaders and ministers in New Delhi.
Water Resource Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Deputy CM Laxman Savadi, Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar and several others were in Delhi, while Deputy CM Dr CN Ashwath Narayan was in Udupi to attend a party programme.Savadi and Ashoka met BJP National General Secretary B L Santhosh and BJP General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, while Bidar MP Bhagwant Khuba, legislators Shivanagowda Naik, Aravind Bellad, and former MLA Sanjay Patil too were present.
Sources said Jarikiholi is lobbying for MLC CP Yogeshwar, who was also in Delhi on Friday. “Jarkiholi is also lobbying for Mahesh Kumathalli if they drop Shrimant Patil from the cabinet. He is expected to return to Bengaluru on Saturday,’’ said the source. Jarkiholi who led the rebel camps from Congress, is trying to include all those legislators who helped form the Yediyurappa government.
In Bengaluru, BJP MLCs Vishwanath, MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar, who too were part of the rebel camp that helped the BJP government, expressed displeasure over delayed ministry expansion. Ministers from Karnataka met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Dharmendra Pradhan, and others. While Savadi and Ashok met Joshi, Pradhan and Rajnath Singh, Jarkiholi met Shekhawat.
The cabinet has seven vacancies. There is pressure on CM to include the newly elected MLAs and MLCs, including Munirathna, Vishwanath, Shankar, Nagaraj and others. A senior BJP leader pointed out that Bengaluru and Belgavi regions have maximum number of ministers, while many districts have remained unrepresented. “Party high command wants to ensure that all regions and communities are represented,” he said.
Ashwath Narayan bats for Yogeshwar
Udupi: Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan said CP Yogeshwar deserves to be a minister as he has taken many responsibilities in the formation of the BSY government. He said there is no question of discrimination while expanding the cabinet. He was in Udupi to participate in the inaugural session of the ‘Grama Swarajya’ convention of the BJP on Friday. He said the party Central leadership may take a decision on Yogeshwar after necessary consultation.