Two separate delegations of BJP legislators met Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday even as hectic lobbying is said to be underway ahead of the much-awaited Cabinet rejig. Plus, there is no clarity on whether Yediyurappa’s Cabinet will be expanded or reshuffled.
A reshuffle will mean that some incumbents will be shown the door to make way for new faces. During the day, one delegation of party leaders from Chitradurga and another from Davangere met Yediyurappa at his home office Krishna.
According to the chief minister’s office, the delegations discussed developmental works with Yediyurappa. However, it is said that they also discussed the imminent expansion or reshuffle of the Cabinet.
After the BJP won the Sira and Rajarajeshwarinagar bypolls, Yediyurappa said he would contact the party’s central leadership to discuss the Cabinet rejig. Yediyurappa’s Cabinet has seven ministerial positions vacant and several aspirants are waiting in the wings to be inducted.
“Based on seniority, I’m expecting a ministerial position,” six-time Chitradurga MLA G H Thippareddy told reporters. “But, I will not embarrass the CM by repeatedly meeting him to lobby for it. I’ll be happy if I’m given a chance. If not, I won’t do anything to embarrass the party.”
Hiriyur legislator K Poornima said she would abide by the party’s decision.
“Everybody aspires to be a minister,” she said. Soon after the bypolls win, Yediyurappa hinted at the possibility of a reshuffle when he said some ministers might have to be dropped.
Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan told reporters that the Cabinet will be expanded. “This is according to the information I have,” he said. Revenue Minister R Ashoka also told reporters that there was no plan to reshuffle the Cabinet. He even said that the Cabinet expansion will take place only after the Bihar election dust settled and the Deepavali festival.
Apparently, the party is considering a reshuffle because “there’s too much representation for Belagavi.” While the Cabinet has seven ministers representing Bengaluru, there are four from Belagavi- Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, Women & Child Development Minister Shashikala Jolle, Textiles Minister Shrimant Patil and Jarkiholi.
“Bengaluru’s case is different because three ministers were rebels who helped the party come to power,” one minister said.