Now, BSY hints at Cabinet rejig in two or three days

In fact, Bommai, when he had been to Delhi last time, had hinted at the rejig in the first week of this month

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: A day after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai indicated that the much-delayed Cabinet expansion may finally happen, BJP Parliamentary Board member and former CM B.S.Yediyurappa said “wait for two or three days for the good news”.

This ‘breaking news’ by Yediyurappa has come as a respite for several legislators who are desperate to join the Council of Ministers at least for three to four months before the polls. “This matter has been discussed with Delhi leaders and they will take a positive decision in the next two or three days”, the veteran BJP leader said in Shivamogga.

The high command had almost rejected Bommai’s appeal for Cabinet expansion saying that it would be risky to do it, that too when the Assembly polls are fast approaching. But after two senior leaders, K.S.Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi threatened to go public against party bosses, the high command became alert and promised to induct them into the Council of Ministers as early as possible.

Taking note of the same, the CM has requested the high command to give him a new team of ministers with a combination of the young and old to win the poll battle. The BJP has to accommodate Eshwarappa since he has been a prominent Kuruba leader who can take on fellow Kuruba leader, Siddaramaiah.

Similarly, the saffron party does not have a leader who can lead the party in Belagavi district after the demise of Umesh Katti and Suresh Angadi. So, the party is dependent on Ramesh Jarkiholi since existing legislators, Shashikala Jolle and Laxman Savadi are not mass leaders.

Since Belagavi is the biggest district, the BJP has to win at least 8-10 seats if it wants to exercise its dominance over the district. In fact, Bommai, when he had been to Delhi last time, had hinted at the Cabinet rejig during the first week of this month but BJP National President J.P.Nadda postponed it by two weeks to have another round of talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

It is learnt that Shah has agreed to the rejig but has asked Bommai to do it carefully giving representation to all communities and regions without giving scope for an open rebellion