With speculation of expansion or reshuffle of his persisting cabinet, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that he is ready to go to the national capital to discuss it, as soon as the Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) central leadership calls him.
Bommai’s comments came a day after Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the city. The Chief Minister on Wednesday had said that the senior party leader will communicate to him about the BJP central leadership’s decision about the cabinet exercise.
After the state cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on May 5 is being postponed to May 11, there are speculations that it may be to accommodate expansion or reshuffle of the Ministry.
In response to a question on clarity about cabinet expansion or reshuffle, Bommai on Thursday told PTI, “You (media) create things and you ask for clarification on all self-made stories….I haven’t said anything else…what he (Shah) has said is he will speak to all other leaders in Delhi and communicate to me, once he tells me, I’m ready to go (to Delhi), that’s all.”
Meanwhile, the chief minister is under pressure from aspirants to expand or reshuffle his cabinet at the earliest, ahead of the assembly elections scheduled next year.
Currently, there are five positions vacant in Karnataka cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the chief minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.
According to reports, Karnataka cabinet may witness a Gujarat-like overhaul soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the polls.
