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Amid lobbying for cabinet posts, Yediyurappa sets the bar
Several BJP leaders have been lobbying for ministries and some even for the deputy chief minister’s post after the party won the bypolls.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday clarified that only those who won the recent assembly bypolls would be made ministers and not others.
Yediyurappa’s clarification came amid intense speculation surrounding possible cabinet expansion and reshuffle after the BJP swept the bye-elections earlier this month winning 12 of the 15 seats. Several BJP leaders have been lobbying for ministries and some even for the deputy chief minister’s post.
“We have already said that those who won the recent bypolls will be made ministers. There is no question of making others as ministers. I am going to Delhi either on 21st or 22nd (of December) and discuss with the party high command to resolve the issue. The oath-taking will take place end of the month,” he told reporters.
In July, 17 MLAs including 14 from Congress and three from JDS had resigned their legislative memberships and quit their respective parties which eventually brought down the 14-month-old coalition government of H D Kumaraswamy and paved the way for BJP to take power in the state. In the subsequent bypolls held for 15 seats this month, the BJP gave tickets to 13 of those ‘rebels’ and 11 of them won. The two prominent ‘rebel’ losers were A H Vishwanath from Hunsur and M T B Nagaraju from Hoskote.
Yediyurappa’s statement on Tuesday makes it clear that only the winners are likely to be accommodated as ministers in the cabinet expansion. Political analyst L Manjunath said “The CM’s statement is not a surprise. They have to keep their promise of making the 11 rebels who have won re-election as ministers. A couple more disgruntled senior loyalists may also be inducted. The two prominent losers might eventually be accommodated in other positions of power either as heads of some state public sector undertaking or amongst the various government boards.”
