K’taka cabinet talks comes to fore once again; CM to talk to BJP Gen Secy

PTI, Jan 2, 2021, 3:20 PM IST

Bengaluru: Discussions on the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of Karnataka cabinet have once again come to the fore with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday saying he will hold talks in this connection with BJP national General Secretary in-charge of the state Arun Singh.

Speaking to reporters, he said, ‘He (Singh) has come, I will discuss with him.’ He was responding to a question about the cabinet expansion.

The Chief Minister later met Singh, who arrived in the state capital, ahead of their travel to Shivamogga Singh is on a visit to the state to participate in the special meeting of the state BJP and also its core committee in Shivamogga on Saturday and Sunday.

Yediyurappa will be part of these meetings. There has been talk within the state BJP that the expansion or reshuffle was likely this month.

Yediyurappa has been waiting for some time now to carry out the cabinet exercise, as he was asked by BJP national president J P Nadda during their meeting in New Delhi on November 18, to wait for the clearance from the central leadership.

The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be a tightrope walk for the Chief Minister, considering that there are too many aspirants, from the party old guard to Congress- JD(S) rebels, who are now BJP legislators.

The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are still vacant.

Ruling out leadership change, Yediyurappa earlier this week had asserted that he will remain in the post for the remaining over two year period and complete the term, and there was no confusion regarding this within the ruling BJP.