Karnataka Cabinet Expansion: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is under pressure.
With his visit to the national capital raising hopes among ministerial aspirants about the expansion or rejig of Karnataka Cabinet, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said he will not be holding discussion in this connection with the BJP central leadership this time.
The Chief Minister, who arrived in New Delhi this morning, said he intended to discuss Cabinet exercise with the central leadership during the visit, but BJP national president J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are not in town.
"I had intentions to discuss the Cabinet, but our president Nadda ji and Amit Shah are not in town, so after completing today's programmes, I will be returning to Bengaluru on Wednesday, as there is a Cabinet meeting," Mr Bommai told reporters in response to a question in New Delhi.
The CM is under pressure from aspirants to expand or reshuffle his Cabinet at the earliest, ahead of Assembly polls next year. Mr Bommai, who met Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya earlier in the day, will be holding interactions with ambassadors of various countries in the evening regarding 'Invest Karnataka 2022' - Global Investors Meet, which is scheduled to be held in November.
"....I will be meeting ambassadors and diplomats of various countries to invite investors from those countries for the Global Investors Meet, followed by dinner. State's Industries Minister and his department is organising this meeting," he said.
Recently, Mr Bommai had said that he is ready to go to New Delhi to discuss the Cabinet exercise, as soon as the BJP central leadership calls him. Also state BJP strongman B S Yediyurappa had hinted that the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle, may take place this week.
Amid murmurs in the BJP circles that a top-to-bottom overhaul of the Cabinet cannot be ruled out, ministerial aspirants are hopeful that a decision is likely soon regarding Cabinet expansion or reshuffle, and there are even talks that several incumbents could make way for fresh faces. There are currently five positions vacant in the state Cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the chief minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.
Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka Cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the Assembly elections.