Karnataka cabinet talks comes to fore again; CM to talk to BJP Gen Secy
Discussions on the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of Karnataka cabinet have once again come to the fore with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday saying he will hold talks in this connection with BJP national General Secretary in-charge of the state Arun Singh.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “He (Singh) has come, I will discuss with him.” He was responding to a question about the cabinet expansion.
The Chief Minister later met Singh, who arrived in the state capital, ahead of their travel to Shivamogga Singh is on a visit to the state to participate in the special meeting of the state BJP and also its core committee in Shivamogga on Saturday and Sunday.
Yediyurappa will be part of these meetings. There has been talk within the state BJP that the expansion or reshuffle was likely this month.
Yediyurappa has been waiting for some time now to carry out the cabinet exercise, as he was asked by BJP national president JP Nadda during their meeting in New Delhi on November 18, to wait for the clearance from the central leadership.
The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be a tightrope walk for the Chief Minister, considering that there are too many aspirants, from the party old guard to Congress- JD(S) rebels, who are now BJP legislators.
The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are still vacant.
Ruling out leadership change, Yediyurappa earlier this week had asserted that he will remain in the post for the remaining over two year period and complete the term, and there was no confusion regarding this within the ruling BJP.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Shutdown in parts of Srinagar on Hurriyat’s call
A partial shutdown was observed in parts of Srinagar on Saturday on the call of separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on the death anniversaries of his father Molvi Mohammad Farooq and senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone. Another local said commercial activities were also suspended in Khanyar, Fatah Kadal, Habba Kadal and Bohri Kadal areas.
-
Four IPS officers reshuffled in HP
Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday reshuffled four Indian Police Services officers. A 2003-batch IPS officer, PD Prasad, has been posted as inspector general of southern range in superannuation of Himanshu Mishra. Rameshwar Singh Thakur, IG, state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau, has been posted as the IG CID (intelligence). HP principal secretary, health, Subashish Panda said allied health professionals play an important role and the state government would be soon implementing the same.
-
Vaishno Devi shrine’s head priest dies at 85
The head priest of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Pandit Amir Chand, passed away at his residence in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Saturday morning, officials said. Pandit Chand belonged to the family of Pandit Shridhar, who believed to have discovered the three-peaked cave shrine in Trikuta Hills some 700 years ago. “The mortal remains of the priest were consigned to flames at Banganga later in the day,” said a police officer.
-
No one will be allowed to create disturbances in J&K: LG
J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said terrorism is the gravest threat to peace and prosperity and no one will be allowed to create disturbances in UT. Sinha administered the 'Anti-Terrorism Pledge' to senior officials, DCs and SSPs at Raj Bhawan to mark the observance of Anti-Terrorism Day. “I reaffirm our strong commitment to uphold peace and harmony and to defeat the forces of disruption threatening human lives,” he said.
-
Tourism boom in J&K due to scorching heat, not any better situation here: Azad
Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said the current tourism boom in Jammu and Kashmir is due to the rising temperature in the rest of the country and not because of any improved situation in the UT. Azad made the assertion, reiterating his stand on the Delimitation Commission report, saying that “the tailor-made report is in contradiction with the ground realities”. He is scheduled to return to Srinagar on Sunday.
