BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was “urgently” summoned to New Delhi by the BJP high command, has returned without getting an audience from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This has given rise to various speculations. The CM was instead directed to speak to BJP Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh.
Though the party cited Shah’s participation in BJP national office bearers meeting and that he has left for Arunachal Pradesh as the reasons for his inability to meet Bommai, reports that the home minister he was very much in New Delhi. This is Bommai’s second visit to Delhi in the last ten days.“I had plans to meet Amit Shah. Due to his urgent engagement, I could talk to him over the phone last night. I discussed in detail and shared with him the list of probable candidates for Rajya Sabha seats from the state and for the Legislative Council polls”, Bommai maintained.
“I met Arun Singh as instructed by Shah and we discussed the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha elections. I provided details of the list submitted.”Since May 24 is the deadline for filing nominations for Council polls, the decisions have to be taken urgently, he told reporters in New Delhi.
“May 31 is the last day for filing nominations for Rajya Sabha elections. Arun Singh has been apprised of discussions held at the recent State Core Committee meeting. He has said that he would take a decision at the earliest,” Bommai said.
The Cabinet expansion did not come up for discussion as the party top brass is focussed on elections to BBMP and local bodies in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s order in this regard, he said. Sources within the BJP said though the BJP Core Committee had already sent the list of probables for MLC and RS polls, the high command had called him to discuss some changes. Bommai also met Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi at the latter’s official residence in Delhi which has almost been a norm during his every visit to the national capital.