New ministers in Karnataka govt need leadership nod, says Bommai

A reshuffle or expansion of the Karnataka ministry will be done only after approval from the top BJP leadership, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday (January 24), even as pressure mounts on him in view of the 2023 state assembly elections.

With the top BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda busy with the ongoing assembly elections in five states, indications are that the rejig will be taken up only after the polls.

“Four (ministerial) berths are vacant, so naturally there will be aspirations. There is nothing wrong with it. Party leadership is aware of when and how to do it. I’m also bringing it to the leadership’s notice. Whenever the leadership calls me for discussion, I will give them all the details,” Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru.

He said the party will discuss the matter and decide on further action.

“It depends on the party, the party will sit and decide on the basis of which further action will be taken. There is no such proposal regarding appointments for board and corporations before me as the Chief Minister for now. Party is looking at it. After deliberations, they will give a report, based on which we will see….” he said.

Bommai’s cabinet has 30 ministers, against the sanctioned strength of 34. There are also vacant posts for various state boards and corporations.

BJP leaders and legislators are pressuring the state leadership and the chief minister to make appointments to these posts quickly as any delay will mean that they will have less time to perform and make an impact upon the people ahead of the assembly elections due in May 2023.

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Bommai, whose government completes six months in office on January 28, said he will bring out a booklet, listing achievements of his administration.

Some legislators have also suggested a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka Cabinet, to make way for new faces, which would make a bigger impact on the masses.

In September, the BJP completely changed the Gujarat Council of Ministers under chief minister Bhupendra Patel, with all new faces and no minister from Vijay Rupani’s cabinet being retained.

In the meantime, reports said that senior BJP legislators Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and MP Renukacharya on Thursday had held closed-door discussions. There are also reports about a similar meeting in Belagavi involving minister Umesh Katti, former Deputy CM Laxman Savadi and other legislators from the region.

Bommai dismissed talk about ‘secret meetings’, saying it was made up by the media.

“I don’t know…..you (media) yourself are calling it a secret meeting….there is no confusion….leaders casually meet at several instances. You depicting it as something else is not right. Congress leaders meet casually at different places, similarly BJP leaders also meet, there is nothing in it,” he said.