BS Yediyurappa was the sole member of his cabinet for some time when he took charge last year. (File)
Ever since he took over as Karnataka's Chief Minister for the third time in July 2019, the composition of the cabinet has been a challenge for BS Yediyurappa. He was the sole member of the state cabinet for many days in the beginning, even during the time when the state was facing terrible floods, until he finally got the nod to induct some colleagues.
He came to power after several Congress and Janata Dal Secular MLAs switched loyalty to the BJP. And these rebels, who helped to bring down the earlier coalition government and install him as the Chief Minister, wanted cabinet berths as rewards.
BS Yediyurappa had some breathing space when they were disqualified and not allowed to stand for elections - but that disqualification was overturned. In December, most of them won their earlier seats on BJP tickets.
Almost all of them were taken into the cabinet - which required mollifying the original BJP members who had been eyeing a berth.
Those who did not win the bypolls later became MLCs and are also waiting for their chance to join the cabinet.
These include A H Vishwanath, R Shankar - known as Pendulum Shankar for the way he has switched between parties - and the super rich MTB Nagaraj.
Now, after two further bypolls which went the BJP way, there is more pressure.
Mr Muniratna, one of the MLAs who crossed over, had represented Rajareshwarinagar in Bengaluru from the Congress.
The Chief Minister had indicated he would get a cabinet berth if he won the bypoll which he contested on a BJP ticket.
Mr Muniratna did win; the results were announced on November 3.
He told NDTV, "That is an issue for the Chief Minister and senior party leaders. I will not discuss that."
Mr Yediyurappa visited Delhi last week where he met party chief JP Nadda to discuss cabinet issues.
He said the expansion news would come in a few days. Seven out of a total of 27 cabinet berths are still empty.
The BJP is not revealing much.
State party chief Nalin Kumar Kateel told NDTV, "The Chief Minister has spoken to senior leaders at the centre. We will do this as soon as possible." When he was asked whether it would be a reshuffle that would involve dropping some sitting ministers, he just said, "Wait and see."
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwath Narayan also said it was all in Mr Yediyurappa's hands. He told NDTV: "It will be decided by our honourable chief minister. He is looking into it. It will come out when it needs to be done, he will do it. There is a decision taken by honourable chief minister - he will be going for expansion shortly."
He also claimed not to know is the decision would involve dropping ministers.
"I really don't know. It will be decided by Chief Minister what needs to be done. He will decide and come out with the plan of action," he said.