Karnataka CM in Delhi to discuss cabinet expansion with BJP high command

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who reached Delhi on Thursday (January 30), said he will discuss the much-awaited ministry expansion with the BJP high command.

“It’s been long that I visited Delhi. I will meet the party national president J.P. Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah and take their suggestions on the cabinet expansion,” Yediyurappa told reporters.

The chief minister said he will also call on finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to discuss development issues related to Karnataka.

Yediyurappa has been anxiously waiting for the high command’s nod to expand his ministry amid intense lobbying by the aspirants.

Opposition parties have been critical of the BJP and Yediyurappa over the delay in cabinet expansion, alleging that he was weak and that the administration had collapsed.

As the chief minister has already made it clear that 11 of the disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets will be made ministers, lobbying has been on in the party for the remaining ministerial berths.

Currently, there are 18 ministers, including the chief minister in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34. Sixteen berths are vacant.

(With inputs from agencies)