Portfolio allocation will be done on Monday, says Yediyurappa

Amid growing pressure from newly inducted ministers for plum ministries, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday said the portfolio allocation will be done on February 10.

"Everything is ready but since today (Saturday) is a holiday, we will allot portfolios on Monday morning," Yediyurappa said.

While rewarding with Cabinet berth 10 defectors who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and come to power, Yediyurappa had on Thursday announced that the portfolios will be allotted before Saturday.

Yediyurappa also ruled out going to Delhi to decide filling the remaining six vacant ministerial posts.

"At present I am not going but the portfolio distribution will happen on Monday," Yediyurappa told reporters here on Saturday.

According to BJP sources, Yediyurappa apparently deferred the portfolio allocation allegedly due to pressure from Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has been insisting upon water resource department.

On the other hand, the BJP leadership wants to give him public works department, they said.

Jarkiholi had a detailed discussion at Yediyurappas house till the early hours of Saturday and left the place displeased, the sources claimed.

The cabinet expansion on Thursday led to discontent among a section of "native" BJP leaders who were left out of the exercise as the party sought to contain dissidence in the face of intense lobbying for berths by several contenders.

The expansion has taken the strength of the Cabinet to 28, with six vacancies now.

In the first expansion last August, 17 ministers were inducted.