Legislators flock to B S Yediyurappa's home in search of Cabinet berths

Several BJP legislators met former chief minister B S Yediyurappa in the hope of securing a place in the new Cabinet for which the incumbent Basavaraj Bommai is working out an “acceptable” formula with the party’s top brass in New Delhi.

Yediyurappa, who said he would not involve himself in the Cabinet expansion, remained the go-to person for party legislators such as Araga Jnanendra, Nehru Olekar, MP Kumaraswamy, MTB Nagaraj among others.

However, Yediyurappa reportedly did not assure a Cabinet berth to these legislators, maintaining that the decision was left to the party high command. According to sources, he refrained from making promises considering his "dicey" position with the BJP top brass.

MLAs SR Vishwanath, Preetham Gowda, Masala Jayaram and Doddanagouda Patil were among those who met Yediyurappa.

Kumaraswamy and Patil arrived at the former CM's residence with their supporters to press for ministerial berths.

Following his meeting with Yediyurappa, Thirthahalli legislator Jnanendra said that he was certain of being inducted to the Cabinet. There were three legislators representing Shivamogga district who were part of the government until now, he said, due to which he had not sought a ministerial berth in the past.

However, in the last two years this government, an opportunity will be provided for people like him who had backing from leaders like Yediyurappa, Bommai as well as the RSS, he said.

Several legislators, including Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad, have been camping in Delhi for Cabinet berths under Bommai. Another aspirant, MLC CP Yogeeshwar also flew to Delhi on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, confusion has prevailed among BJP legislators over uncertainty in the formula the high command will apply in picking ministers for the Cabinet, keeping them on tenterhooks.

Whether all the migrant MLAs - those who joined the BJP from the Congress and JD(S) - will make it back into the Cabinet is also unclear.

There is talk that some Cabinet berths will be kept vacant for a possible expansion after a few months into Bommai's term.

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