Cabinet expansion unlikely before monsoon session

Several ministerial aspirants might have to wait longer as Cabinet expansion/reshuffle seemed “very unlikely” before the upcoming monsoon session of the legislature, according to BJP leaders.

Reports of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s visit to Delhi ahead of the session starting September 21, had triggered interest over the Cabinet expansion.

Three rebels of the previous Congress-JD(S) coalition, who became MLCs recently are waiting in the wings for a Cabinet berth, with eight-time MLA Umesh Katti and another MLC C P Yogeeshwar among the hopefuls.

However, a petition against inducting the MLCs MTB Nagaraj, R Shankar and A H Vishwanath into the Cabinet before the High Court has cast a cloud over their ministerial prospects, generating interest among other BJP legislators vying for a berth.

A senior BJP leader told DH that Cabinet expansion will not take place before the session. “Indications are that new ministers will be sworn-in in October,” he said. Another ministerial aspirant noted that legislators were not keen on taking charge right before the session, and were willing to wait till it was over.

The Cabinet expansion delay, despite the brewing discontentment among few legislators, has also added fuel to rumours of possible leadership change by the end of 2020.

“The recent notice by High Court to the state government, governor and chief minister on public interest litigation over inducting Nagaraj, Shankar and Vishwanath, will also be a challenge for the CM,” sources said. The prospects of Vishwanath making it to the Cabinet is virtually zero after his recent remark on Tipu Sultan, sources added.