Karnataka cabinet expansion to take place on Jan 13, asserts Yediyurappa after Delhi visit

The much-awaited cabinet expansion in Karnataka will take place on January 13, said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday, after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda. 

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, the CM said that seven new members may be inducted into the Cabinet and the final decision on this matter will probably be taken on Monday. The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are still vacant.

This comes after BS Yediyurappa met Amit Shah at the latter's residence in Delhi on Sunday to discuss the political situation in Karnataka. JP Nadda and the BJP's in-charge for Karnataka Arun Singh also attended the meeting. The CM had arrived in the national capital on Sunday.

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After concluding the meeting, Yediyurappa asserted that the cabinet expansion was discussed in detail and names for the cabinet rejig would be finalised as early as possible. He also stated, "100% this is the last meeting with regards to the cabinet expansion."

The CM earlier suggested some names and expressed confidence that the central BJP leadership will respond positively. Apart from the cabinet expansion, the chief minister also discussed the upcoming by-polls in the state for one parliamentary and two Assembly seats. 

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The impasse over Karnataka cabinet expansion

The chief minister was seemingly in a fix as there are too many aspirants for the cabinet berths, including BJP loyalists as well as those who quit Congress and JDS to switch their allegiance to the saffron party, leading to the collapse of the Congress-JDS coalition government. The cabinet expansion has been pending since the time BJP formed the government in the state in July 2019 after toppling the coalition government. 

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(With inputs from agency)