Hopes of cabinet aspirants in Karnataka soared high after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital on Wednesday. Sources in the BJP stated that the meeting was held to finalise the list of candidates and to take a final call on crucial issues such as according cabinet berths to former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa's son B.Y. Vijayendra and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and others. The confusion surrounding cabinet expansion or cabinet overhaul is likely to end soon. The final lists in this connection are ready and have reached the high command. The party high command has got the survey of performance and popularity of ministers done through its sources. The party is contemplating to have the cabinet in place which is beneficial for the party in the upcoming assembly elections, sources said.
Meanwhile, the number of cabinet berths is growing day by day and all are looking ahead for the decision on cabinet expansion. Meanwhile, opposition Congress leaders have already issued statements that many top leaders from BJP have approached them. The BJP high command is treading cautiously and taking time to make decision. The high command is thinking of dropping old non-performing ministers. The sitting ministers, who are anxious about the development, have started lobbying through their godfathers in New Delhi. The party is also considering the elections to seven seats in the Legislative Council on June 3. It is considering to announce cabinet rejig after the election, sources said.
There are five vacant cabinet berths presently and the party wants to induct ten new faces. The party is also contemplating about change of guard in the state Home ministry. Present Revenue Minister R. Ashok is said to be preferred for the job. Presently, staunch RSS man Araga Jnanendra is holding the state Home portfolio. National General Secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh's recent statement that "capacity to change leadership is the strength of BJP" has caused ripples in state's political corridors. After Santosh's statement, debates of change of Chief Minister in Karnataka started, post which state BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and former Chief Minister Yediyurappa clarified that there is no discussion on changing the Chief Minister of the state.