‘Cabinet expansion soon’: Karnataka CM Bommai

Amid mounting pressure from party MLAs seeking ministerial position, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the state Cabinet expansion would take place soon.

Published on: Jan 7, 2023, 18:42:36 IST

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Amid mounting pressure from party MLAs seeking ministerial position, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the state Cabinet expansion would take place soon.

Against the sanctioned 34 ministerial posts, 28 are filled and six are vacant.

He, however, did not disclose the names of legislators likely to be inducted into the Cabinet.

"We had a detailed discussion a few days ago. As per the information I have received, a meeting will be convened soon and a decision will be taken. I expect this to happen very soon," Bommai said.

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When asked who would be taken into the Cabinet, he said it is left to the BJP high command to decide.

The Chief Minister said he has explained all the issues to the party's top leadership. "The final decision will be taken by them. We will let you know when they take any decision. There are indications that it will happen very soon," Bommai said.

Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi and Shivamogga legislator K S Eshwarappa are the most prominent among a string of aspirants eyeing a Cabinet berth with hardly four months left for the Assembly election.

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Jarkiholi had resigned as minister in March 2022 after a social activist lodged a police complaint alleging sexual harassment of a woman 'job aspirant' and video clips purportedly showing their intimate moments surfaced. He has repeatedly claimed innocence and that the video was "fake".

Eshwarappa quit the state Cabinet in April 2022 following a controversy over the death of a Belagavi-based contractor, who had accused the BJP leader of demanding 40 per cent commission to award contracts for public works.

Against the sanctioned 34 ministerial posts, 28 are filled and six are vacant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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