Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Nov 22: Though chief minister (CM) B S Yediyurappa met BJP high command three days ago with regard to the expansion of state cabinet no instructions have been received from the top brass of the party for either expansion or restructuring of the cabinet.

Meanwhile, aspirants for ministerial positions continue to lobby with the senior state leaders of BJP. Some are even trying to put pressure on the party leaders in Delhi.

On Saturday, November 21, Ramesh Jarkiholi met B L Santhosh in Delhi on Friday, November 20. Later political secretary of the chief minister, M P Renukacharya met Jarkiholi, which also created curiosity among the party cadre.

Jarkiholi, who has met the national leaders of the party, said that all those who helped in forming the government should be given suitable positions, thereby hinting that he has lobbied in Delhi for new entrants as well as Yogeshwar.

Ramesh Jarkiholi

On the other end, BJP leaders who have been in the party for long met CM Yediyurappa and state president Nalin Kumar Kateel to lobby for posts. At present the cabinet expansion is revolving around Ramesh Jarkiholi, Yediyurappa, Nalin Kumar Kateel and M P Renukacharya.

Ramesh Jarkiholi is seen as the central point in the state cabinet expansion. He has reiterated his demand of providing ministerial positions to those who have joined BJP, along with lobbying for himself, from other political parties. He has also demanded that Yogeshwar should be made minister. But this demand is being vehemently opposed by factions loyal to M P Renukacharya and Raju Gowda, which say that those who have lost the elections should not be made ministers.

CM Yediyurappa is trying to provide more positions to BJP loyalists and keep his word given to them. He has said that he is waiting for instructions from the high command. On the other hand, people who are loyal to Yediyurappa have met state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and informed him that certain ministers in the present cabinet need to be dropped as there is pressure from MLAs. At the same time, this very team has met Ramesh Jarkiholi, which has created confusion.

It seems that the CM's political secretary, M P Renukacharya is playing a new stellar role in the whole development of cabinet expansion. Renukacharya met CM Yediyurappa in the beginning. Later, it is learnt, he met state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel and conveyed the message in favour of Yediyurappa. His meeting with Ramesh Jarkiholi on Saturday has also sparked curiosity.

Though CM Yediyurappa is the final authority in deciding the expansion of the cabinet, aspirants for ministerial positions are meeting Nalin and appealing for suitable positions. This clearly indicates that the state BJP president is playing an important role in the decisions of the state government. Even M P Kumaraswamy, who used to lobby behind CM Yediyurappa has appealed to Nalin this time around. He has camped in Mangaluru to appeal the same to Nalin, which shows the influence Nalin has in these matter.