Karnataka Chief Minister Gets Party's Approval For Cabinet Expansion

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday received approval from the BJP central leadership for the expansion of his six-month-old cabinet.

Mr Yediyurappa said the date of swearing-in will be decided in a day or two, although he indicated it is expected be held on February 3.

There are 18 ministers, including the chief minister, in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34. 

"We discussed yesterday and now also. (Amit) Shah has agreed to almost everything," Mr Yediyurappa told reporters after meeting the union home minister in New Delhi.

The Chief Minister further added that he is returning back "happy" after getting the nod for the cabinet expansion.

"Many of our suggestions have been accepted by Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda. If there are minor differences, we will discuss in Bengaluru and sort it out," he said.

Barring one or two, the chief minister said, most of the disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets will be made ministers, and added there won't be additional deputy chief ministers.

The cabinet already has eight Lingayats, including the chief minister, three Vokkaligas, three from Scheduled Castes, two OBCs, one from the Scheduled Tribe and a Brahmin.