Lobbying intensifies for ministerial berths in BSY cabinet

With Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa indicating about cabinet expansion after the ruling BJP swept the December 5 bypolls that has given stability to his government, lobbying has intensified for ministerial berths, by both old guards and new entrants.

A day after the BJP won 12 of the total of 15 seats in the byelections, he said on Tuesday that he would soon hold discussions with the party leadership on cabinet expansion, and made it clear that 11 disqualified MLAs (of the total 13 fielded by BJP) who successfully contested the bypolls on party tickets, will be made Ministers.

With indication from the Chief Minister that newly elected legislators will get the lion's share during the expansion, several senior party MLAs have intensified efforts to secure a berth in the cabinet along with them.

In an apparent show of strength and unity, the disqualified legislators -- both who have won and lost on BJP ticket during the bypolls -- on Wednesday met Chief Minister together and held discussions.

Party sources said, during the meeting they thanked Yediyurappa for the support during the bypolls and sought his continued cooperation in both the government and the party.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting with Yediyurappa, newly elected BJP MLA from Yeshwanthpura S T Somashekar said, "We had come together to thank him, as he had campaigned in each of our constituencies at least twice".

He said, they have requested for addressing issues relating to R R Nagara and Maski, represented by disqualified Congress legislators Munirathna and Pratap Gowda Patil respectively, where bypolls could not be held due to pending litigation in the High Court, filed by their then opponents in the BJP after 2018 assembly polls.

"We also expressed intention to meet Home Minister Amit Shah, but he (CM) has asked to wait for a few days as Parliament session is on," he added.

However, clarifying that no discussions have taken place regarding cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation, Somashekar said, "... no demand, no one has asked for any portfolio, we only thanked him (CM) and told him that we were together to cooperate with him and sought his cooperation."
Also, maintaining that all disqualified legislators, whether they won or lost, were united and there is no question of leaving anyone alone, Somashekar in response to a query about some amount of displeasure among some BJP members against their induction into the Ministry, said, "We are not here to compete with anyone..."
Amid talks of cabinet reshuffle to maintain regional and caste balance, instead of expansion, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, "there is no such possibility and the additional portfolios that the existing Ministers have may be allocated to newly inducted. Chief Minister will take a call on that."