Rejig, leadership change; Shah has a lot on platter

By Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be holding a crucial meeting with members of the BJP Core committee with regard to the Cabinet rejig, fresh appointments to various state-run boards and corporations and most importantly the strategies to be adopted for the 2023 Assembly polls.There are also reports that a change of leadership in the state would be discussed.

Shah will arrive on Monday night and attend a slew of programmes. He will then hold talks with Core committee members, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former CMs. The agenda for the meeting would be the overhaul of the state BJP unit, finalising the names of those to be inducted into the Cabinet and to be dropped. It is learnt that Bommai has already discussed this issue with BJP National Organising secretary B.L.Santosh. Sources in the party told News Trail that Shah was supposed to hold the Core committee meeting at the party office after lunch at Bommai’s official residence. But now the venue has been shifted to a hotel where he is staying overnight to have a free and fair discussion. 

In all probability, Shah will affix the seal of approval for the cabinet rejig to keep the flock together. Already some MLAs have started sending feelers to Congress leaders in case they fail to make it to the Cabinet in what could be the last reshuffle or expansion of the incumbent government headed by CM Bommai.

Realising this, Bommai has already conveyed the feelings of lawmakers to the high command and the risks in case of a delay in the Cabinet reshuffle. For this reason, the ‘Chanakya’ of the BJP has arrived in the city to specially to pay attention to this issue. Shah is also likely to give a stern warning to non-performing ministers to pull up their socks or be ready to engage in party work.

The BJP high command knows quite well that the coming 12 months are very crucial for the party to win back the confidence of people and return to power in 2023.

Sources said once Shah clears the list of ministers, the swearing-in ceremony may happen before the second week of this month. Along with it even the chairmen of various boards and corporations would be finalised.