BENGALURU: Amid growing speculation about a change of leadership in the state, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s Cabinet will meet on Thursday and is expected to decide on a host of projects and seek administrative approval. Sources said there has been a flurry of activity behind the scenes and the Cabinet is likely to take some ‘major decisions’.
The CM is expected to undertake a slew of measures and it is believed that the cabinet will issue approvals for a record number of works on Thursday. Meanwhile, a BJP legislator, who has been critical of Yediyurappa, told TNIE that he will meet the Governor and lodge a complaint if the cabinet clears an unprecedentedly large number of works in a hurry.
While the sources confirmed that the BJP top brass has firmly asked the CM to make way for a new leader, they added that Yediyurappa himself had informed certain people in his inner circle that such a move is imminent. They also said that the central leadership has not been too pleased with a large number of seers rallying behind him.
After his return from a two-day visit to New Delhi recently, Yediyurappa had dismissed suggestions about a change of guard while some of his loyalist ministers too have been saying that he will continue. Interestingly, a meeting of party legislators at a private hotel, which was scheduled for July 25 to mark the completion of two years of the government, now stands cancelled. The Chief Minister’s Office and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel confirmed that the event has been cancelled, but when questioned, Kateel said he was not aware of the reason for the cancellation. Sources in the CMO attributed it to logistical issues and said that the legislators will celebrate the second year anniversary of the government in their respective constituencies and arrive in Bengaluru for the main event on July 26.
The meeting with party legislators was originally scheduled for July 26 and later advanced by a day.
In addition, the CM has cancelled his Shivamogga visit scheduled for Thursday, where he was to participate in the launch of a string of development programmes. A source in the CMO said there was no need to read too much into the cancellation, attributing it to inclement weather. The Chief Minister’s political secretary M P Renukacharya, too said, “I am in Delhi and I am not aware why these events have been cancelled.’’