We have already won, says Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa on polls

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday declared victory for the BJP in the legislative council elections and the two assembly bypolls.

"We have already won by a large margin...It'll be clear to all on November 10," he told reporters.

Two graduates' and two teachers' constituencies of the Legislative Council went to polls on October 28. The Sira and Rajarajeshwarinagar assembly segments voted on November 3. Their results will be out on November 10.

"If I say something, I will have thought about it a 100 times. My predictions till date have been accurate. This time, too, we will win by a large margin," Yediyurappa said.

To a question on the expansion of his Cabinet, the CM said that he was awaiting the bypoll results. "I will try and get clearance for the Cabinet expansion by contacting the high command over the phone after the results are out. If required, I will go to Delhi on November 11 and finalise the Cabinet expansion," he said.

Earlier this week, Yediyurappa and BJP national president JP Nadda spoke over phone to discuss the election results and the Cabinet rejig. Yediyurappa is learnt to have told Nadda that delaying the Cabinet expansion further would be troublesome. The CM made a case for accommodating into this Cabinet those who helped the BJP come to power. “It will be good if a decision is taken soon,” Yediyurappa told Nadda, sources said.

There are six berths vacant in the 34-member Cabinet. Yediyurappa will have to accommodate MLCs MTB Nagaraj, H Vishwanath and R Shankar - rebels who helped the BJP come to power. If Munirathna wins the Rajarajeshwarinagar bypoll, he could make it in. Plus, Yediyurappa will have to keep space for Pratapgouda Patil who needs to win the Maski bypoll that is yet to be announced. The CM has also publicly assured a berth for 8-time MLA Umesh Katti, who is sulking. There are several others who are vying to become ministers.

Some within the party opine that the Cabinet expansion was delayed because of differing stances taken by Yediyurappa and the party’s top brass. While Yediyurappa prefers an expansion, the top brass wants to promote fresh faces through a reshuffle keeping the next election in mind.