Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 29: The chief minister has completed the process of appointing people to the posts of chairpersons of corporations and boards. Now the exercise of cabinet expansion will most likely take place during the first week of August.

Chief minister, B S Yediyurappa, recently finished nominating people to vacant memberships in the legislative council and corporations. Now, he is making preparations to admit three to four ministers to the state cabinet. Highly placed sources within the BJP confirmed that the chief minister has decided not to fill two berths out of six empty seats and take in only three to four ministers.

B S Yediyurappa

Hesitation expressed by a number of legislators to accept posts in corporations and boards, and New Delhi visit by deputy chief minister, Laxman Savadi, have given rise to rumours in political circles here. A section of the rumour mongers is busy fuelling the notion that the state leadership might undergo a change. But BJP sources have asserted that no such developments will take place.

It is said that Savadi went to Delhi to get approvals for works related to his department and to get central sanction for 300 electric buses. But there is information that the high command has given the go-ahead for the cabinet expansion as expected. Yediyurappa, who has decided to expand his cabinet, has not yet discussed with the high command, it is said. He plans to discuss with them during the first week of August and legislators who get the nod will be admitted into the ministry.

Union minister Prahlad Joshi had recently visited the city. He was invited to the house of Ramesh Jarkiholi for dinner and the presence of the minister Sudhakar there had given rise to fresh bouts of speculations. Top leaders are aware that even if they decide to change top leadership in the case, they do not have a leader who can fill the void left behind by Yediyurappa. Therefore, making such an effort is out of the question for now.

MTB Nagaraj who resigned as minister in the coalition government, R Shankar and Umesh Katti are almost certain to become ministers. Aravind Limbavali may also become a minister subject to central approval, it is said.

Yediyurappa wants to rejig the ministry during December and he plans to convince the central leaders about the purpose behind this exercise during his discussions. During the reorganisation of the ministry, C P Yogeshwar and H Vishwanath might be accommodated, it is said.

Yediyurappa has accommodated aspirants who were treated as stumbling blocks for the smooth cabinet expansion. Yediyurappa wants to call them and convince them individually within a couple of days and after that, all of them are expected to agree to accept the posts.

Industries minister Jagadish Shettar, dismissed as rumour the information about some people trying to become chief minister. He said that there is a likelihood of a few people getting disgruntled during appointments to corporations and boards which will be sorted out through discussions.