After much dilly-dallying, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is finally set to leave for Delhi for a discussion on Cabinet expansion with the party’s central leaders on Thursday. He has clarified that all those who won the bypolls will be inducted into the ministry and that the number of Deputy Chief Ministers will not go up from the existing three.
He told reporters in Belagavi on Wednesday, “I will go to New Delhi on Thursday and meet party president J.P. Nadda and other senior leaders to discuss Cabinet expansion.”
On the question of whether some will be dropped from the Cabinet to make way for others, the Chief Minister was evasive. “Senior leaders in Delhi will decide on the issue of dropping anyone,” he said. With demand for berths — both from migrants who won the bypolls on the BJP ticket and old party leaders — outnumbering the existing vacancies, there has been a debate on the possibility of dropping some Ministers. “I want to induct all the leaders who won the bypolls into the Cabinet. I also want to include senior MLA Umesh Katti in the ministry. But the decision of dropping anyone from the Cabinet to make room for others will be decided by New Delhi. I will heed their advice,” added.
Asked about the prospects of creating more posts of Deputy Chief Minister, he said there would not be any additions. This gains importance in the midst of pressure from some leaders, especially Health Minister B. Sriramulu, to be given the post. “The three Deputy Chief Ministers who are serving now will continue,” he said. He did not respond to a specific question on whether Ramesh Jarkiholi would be made a Deputy Chief Minister.
Asked about shifting some offices to the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi, Mr. Yediyurappa said he planned to hold the State Cabinet meeting in Belagavi once every two months or so. He said the State government had released ₹850 crore for flood relief works in Belagavi district alone. He said all Smart City development works would be done within the scheduled time frame.
Meanwhile, in Hassan, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said that only those won the byelections to the Legislative Assembly would get a chance to become Ministers. Speaking to presspersons at Channarayapatna on Wednesday, the Minister claimed, “As per the Supreme Court’s order, only those who won the byelections can become Ministers.” This was in response to the former MLA A.H. Vishwanath’s demand for a Cabinet berth.
He, however, said, R. Shankar, who did not contest the byelection after resigning as MLA, would get his due as he had “sacrificed” his post for the party.
Mr. Sriramulu, who was also in the town, said he was not after the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, but people wanted him occupy it. Eyebrows were raised over Dr. Ashwath Narayan and Mr. Sriramulu travelling to Channarayapatna by separate helicopters to take part in the inauguration of a private petrol station.
Four more from Belagavi?
Mr. Yediyurappa on Wednesday said all the leaders who won the bypolls, including the three from Belagavi — Mr. Jarkiholi, Srimanth Patil, and Mahesh Kumthalli — would be made Ministers. He said Mr. Katti would also be inducted. This would add up to six Ministers from the border district, including Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi and Women and Child Development Minister Shashikala P. Jolle.
