Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwath Narayan C N said that Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi could have been visiting New Delhi often to get cabinet berth for his supporters who joined the BJP along with him. He added that there was nothing wrong in it.
Speaking to reporters at the airport here on Tuesday, Dr Ashwath Narayan said Chief Minister B S Yeddiyurappa will take a decision on cabinet expansion or reshuffle in consultation with the high command. "We are not aware of cabinet expansion or reshuffle," he added.
There has been continuous communication between the party and the government. BJP's Organising Secretary B L Santosh and Yeddiyurappa have held a closed-door meeting on various issues on Monday night and we are not privy to the talks, he said.
The deputy chief minister denied that there could be a possible change of chief minister in the state and rubbished the talks as rumours.
Without naming MLA Basangouda Patil-Yatnal who had announced that chief minister will be changed, Narayan said that BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel will take action against party leaders making statements against the chief minister.
He said demand for Vokkaliga Development Corporation too was being made. There should not be discrimination against any community, he said.
Dr Ashwath Narayan said that colleges have been opened for both offline and online classes as per the demands of students and parents. After the relaxation of Covid-19 norms, life has begun to move towards normal. A semester has got deferred due to the pandemic and holidays and vacation would be reduced to bring it on track. By the next academic year, old calendar of events will be restored, he stated.