Karnataka cabinet expansion: B S Yediyurappa gets go-ahead

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, on Friday got go-ahead from the BJP central leadership to expand his cabinet. The CM announced the development after a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J P Nadda in Delhi.

“They (the central leaders) have agreed to most of my suggestions on the expansion. On reaching Bengaluru, I will consult a few state leaders before taking the final decision,” he said.

The CM clarified that the party’s national leaders did not table any suggestions for the expansion, but agreed with the CM’s proposal. “Central leaders have said that I can carry out this task at any time. I need to convince some people. I will decide on the date of swearing-in, in a day or two,” the CM said.


Pressure has mounted on the chief minister to induct 11 newly elected legislators from the party who had quit the Congress and the JD(S) to join the BJP, and helped Yediyurappa to come to power. Before the December 5 bypolls, Yediyurappa had said that he will take defectors to the cabinet within 24 hours of the election results. Of the 15 assembly segments that went to polls, the BJP won 12 seats. Yediyurappa has maintained that he will induct 11 of them as one of the disqualified legislators was not promised of a cabinet berth.

Currently, Yediyurappa’s cabinet has 16 vacancies. Besides the newly elected MLAs, the CM has to meet the demands of some of the party loyalists who too have eyed on the cabinet posts.