Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Dec 11: The 12 MLAs who have won the bypoll on BJP ticket have been eager to enter the ministry and therefore, chief minister B S Yediyurappa, is under pressure to undertake this exercise at the earliest. These MLAs want ministries that have some significance. At the same time, some current BJP MLAs too reportedly have been asking to be made ministers. This has posed new challenges to the BJP's planned ministry expansion.
As of now, there are 16 vacancies in the state ministry which Yediyurappa had left unfilled to accommodate disqualifies MLAs. As of now, the disqualified legislators who got elected have been assured ministerial berths. It has to be seen whether defeated legislators too will be admitted into the ministry. The oath taking ceremony may take place either by the end of this week or next week.
B S Yediyurappa
Chief minister B S Yediyurappa, has said that the state cabinet would be expanded in a couple of days. He said that there need not be any doubt about accommodating all the disqualified MLAs who won the election.
It is said that the high command has not given its green signal for the swearing in of the new ministers. Once the chief minister goes to Delhi and gets permission, the new minster can be inducted.
Out of 16 vacancies, after distributing to the disqualified MLAs, a few vacancies will remain. Several MLAs from within the BJP have been seeking these posts, but Yediyurappa plans to keep a couple of vacancies unfilled for future exigencies. At the same time, bypoll to Maski and Rarajeshwari Nagara are yet to be held. All these things are playing in the mind of Yediyurappa when expanding his ministry. At the same time, the legislators who won in the bypoll have been demanding seats also for H Vishwanath and M T B Nagaraj, who were defeated in Hunsur and Hoskote constituencies respectively. Former minister, R Shankar, who was not given ticket to fight the bypoll from Ranebennur, also has been promised a seat in the ministry.
The defeated candidates who were either not fielded in the bypoll or were defeated, cannot be made ministers without getting them elected as MLAs or MLCs as they stay disqualified till they fight election and get elected. They have either to become MLCs or wait till the general election to become MLAs, in which case they cannot be made ministers. At present, there are no vacancies in the legislative council as deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi, is waiting for Rizwan Ahmed to resign from the council as he has been elected as MLA from Shivajinagar constituency. As such Shankar, Vishwanath and M T B Nagaraj, may have to wait for some time to become MLCs and ministers. Because of these compulsions, the current BJP MLAs who have been playing the 'originla BJP' card do not seem to be having any chance of making it to the state cabinet.