Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday said the much awaited expansion of his ministry will be carried out in three to four days.
On his arrival here from Davos after attending the World Economic Forum meet, he reiterated that he will keep up the promise of making disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs, who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets, as ministers.
"Tomorrow, Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) is coming, I had discussed with him during the recent visit also, in three to four days cabinet will be expanded, will do it hundred per cent within this month.
I will speak to him (Shah) and fix the date, I will also request him to be there (during expansion) if possible," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters, he said there was no need for him to travel to Delhi, as he has already had discussion with Shah and has got approval for the exercise.
"I will speak to him (Shah) once again (tomorrow), release the list (of ministers) and expand the cabinet with swearing-in ceremony in three to four days," he said, adding that Shah will be visiting the city to attend some programme.
The Chief Minister who had begun his Davos tour on January 19, returned to the city on Friday afternoon.
Yediyurappa, who was anxiously waiting for the high command's nod to expand his ministry amid intense lobbying by the aspirants, was keen on getting approval for the exercise from Shah, ahead of his Davos tour.
Though party sources have said he will have to go to Delhi and discuss with new party national president J P Nadda on the ministry expansion exercise, the Chief Minister has maintained that there was no need for him to travel to the national capital.
Responding to a question as to how many legislators who won the bypolls will be made ministers, Yediyurappa said "You will get to know about it once the cabinet expansion is done, wait till then."
To a question on talks that seven out of 11 legislators who won the bybolls after they were disqualified, will be made ministers, he said "there was no truth in that.
If there is anything particular, I will think and talk about it, but as I had promised they will get opportunity in the ministry."
With high command reportedly not keen on making all the 11 re-elected legislators ministers, whom Yediyurappa has given assurance, it remains to be seen how things turn out.
Not wanting to react on criticism from a few aspirants, about the delay in ministry expansion, he said "it is true that there has been a delay, in three days cabinet expansion will be done.
It is my duty to fulfill the promise that I had made to some people, I will fulfill it."
As the Chief Minister has already made it clear that 11 of the disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets will be made ministers, lobbying has been on in the party for the remaining ministerial berths.
Currently there are 18 Ministers, including the Chief Minister in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34.
Cabinet expansion will not be an easy task for the Chief Minister as he will have to strike a balance by accommodating the victorious disqualified legislators as promised and also make place for the old guard, upset at being "neglected" in the first round of the induction exercise.
He also has to give adequate representation to various castes and regions in his cabinet and also deal with allocation of key portfolios.
Also, disqualified legislators who lost on a BJP ticket during the bypoll like A H Vishwanath (Hunsur) openly expressing their ministerial aspirations has added to the Chief Minister's worry.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
