Will finalise Karnataka Cabinet exercise during next Delhi visit: CM Bommai

PTI, Jul 28, 2022, 3:22 PM IST

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who completed one year in office on Thursday, said he will discuss with the BJP central leadership regarding the expansion or rejig of his cabinet during his next visit to New Delhi and will arrive at a final decision on the matter.

He, however, did not reveal when his next visit to the national capital will be.

”A decision has to be taken in this regard, as a political party. Most probably I will discuss this when I go to Delhi next time. I had expected to talk to J P Nadda (BJP national president) on this when he comes here, but he couldn’t come (today),” Bommai said in response to a question on the cabinet exercise.

”When I go to Delhi next time, I will discuss and arrive at a final decision on this,” he said.

Nadda was to visit the state on Thursday to take part in the ‘Janotsava’, a mega rally at Doddaballapur near here to mark the Bommai government’s one year, and BJP’s three years in office.

However, in the wake of the murder of a BJP activist in Dakshina Kannada district, Bommai had canceled events organized today to mark the occasion, which led to the cancellation of Nadda’s visit to the state.

Discontent has been simmering within a section of the party, and the Chief Minister has been under intense pressure for some time now over expansion and rejigs of Cabinet not taking place to make way for the fresh faces, ahead of elections next year.

Though there were reports of cabinet expansion by filling in five vacant posts or some kind of a rejig by dropping a few and inducting an equal number of new faces, and talks that – Gujarat-like complete overhaul of the state ministers – may take place, nothing has happened so far, and many aspirants feel it is ”too late now” with polls fast approaching.

Bommai said his government has accomplished many achievements despite several challenges during the last year and has managed to take Karnataka forward on the path of development.

He said his government is a teamwork of able administrators, service-minded, experienced, also young, and energetic people in the Cabinet. ”Mine is a cabinet with commitment and all of them have contributed towards last year’s achievements.”