From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Updated
Bengaluru, Feb 3: Indicating that he will expand his cabinet, the Chief Minister said 13 new ministers will be inducted into the cabinet.
This is the first time the chief minister has put a date for expansion, ending speculation for several weeks now.
Specifically, Yediyurappa said he will follow the '10+3' formula, which means that the 10 from among the turncoat MLAs who had recently won the by-polls and 3 from among the old timers from BJP will become ministers.
When asked to indicate who among those who won the by-polls would not be made a minister, the Chief Minister refused to divulge the name and asked to wait and watch.
When quizzed on the regional imbalance in the cabinet if all those who have won by-polls are inducted into the cabinet, the chief minister said: "It is because of the resignation of 17 MLAs has our government come and I have become chief minister. We can't see regional and caste imbalances now. Even if you were in my position you would have done the same.’’
Asked about the recent statements by A H Vishwanath and MTB Nagaraj, two party hoppers who lost by-polls, demanding they too should be made ministers, Yediyurappa said as per Supreme Court judgement they cannot be made ministers.
"There are technical issues that they must understand," he said.
To a question on R Shankar, who joined BJP but did not contest the by-election, and insisting that he should be made an MLC and a minister as promised, the chief minister said: "We will make him an MLC and a minister as promised. We will not go back on any of the promises made.’’
The Cabinet expansion has been on the cards for nearly two months, ever since the BJP won the maximum number of seats in the December 5, 2019 bye-polls and got a majority in the Karnataka Assembly.
In the bye-elections held in December 2019, 12 BJP candidates won seats in 15 constituencies. Among the 12 winners, 11 candidates were former MLAs of the Congress and JD(S) who resigned and paved the way for the BJP to take power in the state in 2019.
Arun Kumar, who won from the Ranebennur constituency, contested in place of R Shankar of the KPJP. Shankar had also resigned as an MLA in 2019.
This means that all rebel leaders, barring one, will be made a minister when the Cabinet expansion takes place. The Assembly session is set to begin in Karnataka on February 5.
The date for the Cabinet expansion was announced after Yediyurappa held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday.
It is indicated that Amit Shah had cleared the list of BJP leaders recommended by Yediyurappa for a place in the Cabinet. The same was reiterated by Yediyurappa in a press conference on Saturday.