BJP top brass asks Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa to address portfolio allocation before cabinet expansion

The BJP top brass has asked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to resolve at his end the vexed issue of allocation of portfolios to newly-elected MLAs, who will be sworn in as ministers.

The central leadership has told the Chief Minister to do it first before seeking the approval of the expansion of his cabinet.

On the one hand, the newly elected 13 MLAs are demanding plum portfolios while on the other, some of the existing ministers are piling up pressure on the top leadership not to give key portfolios to newly elected legislators in the interest of "administration". This tug of war is delaying the cabinet expansion.

Though the party high command is ready to give approval for expansion, the tussle between newly-elected MLAs and old-time BJP leaders is now the main reason for the delay in the expansion said a leader.

The party top brass has asked the CM to resolve all issue at once and take up the expansion. They have also clearly told Yediyurappa that delay is not a big problem but he should act in a manner that there is no recurrence of dissidence after expansion.

Defeated MLAs H Vishwanath and M T B Nagaraj are also demanding their induction in the cabinet, which is hindering a decision on expansion.

Though Yediyurappa wanted to drop some of the existing ministers to “speed up” the administration and is keen to induct some new faces, a section of party leaders are opposing this saying the party should not ignore loyalists.

With several state BJP leaders bringing pressure on them not to ignore loyal leaders to accommodate newly inducted MLAs and give them key portfolios, the cabinet expansion eludes Karnataka.