Newly elected chief minister Gowda held a series of meetings with the BJP top brass on his maiden visit to the capital on Tuesday. He met BJP leader L K Advani and a number of other leaders, who are understood to have guided him on how to go about his cabinet composition.
It is understood that he has been told not to include the other two Reddy brothers — Karunakara and Janardhana, who were ministers in the Yeddyurappa government—in his cabinet until they came clean through legal process. However, he could consider taking on board those nominated by them.
In all probability, Reddy sibling Somashekhara will land a berth. As for V Somanna, a Yeddyurappa loyalist who was sworn in on Monday, Gowda told the high command that the Karnataka Lokayukta had named his sons, and not him, in the report on illegal mining. The two Reddy brothers, however, have been indicted by the Lokayukta.
