Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that the list of seven new ministers, who will be inducted into the cabinet would be announced at 4 pm on Wednesday. BS Yediyurappa had met with BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday to discuss the issue of cabinet expansion and the upcoming bye-polls in the state Assembly and the Belagavi Parliamentary bye-polls.
“Seven new ministers will be inducted into the cabinet and the new list of ministers will be announced at 4 pm on Wednesday,” Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said. The new ministers are expected to take oath at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, BJP sources said, as January 14 is Makara Sankranti and a government holiday.
Speculation is rife that MLCs MTB Nagaraju and Pendulum Shankar would be among the leaders who will be inducted into the cabinet. In addition, Rajarajeshwari Nagar legislator Munirathna Naidu and Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti are also expected to get ministerial berths, as Yediyurappa had publicly promised the two MLAs ministerial portfolios.
BJP sources said that MLC CP Yogeeshwar is also likely to be inducted into the cabinet for his role as a mediator when the 17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs defected and joined the BJP in 2019, which led to the fall of the coalition government led by HD Kumaraswamy. In addition, MLA S Anagara’s name was also doing the rounds as a candidate who could bag a ministerial portfolio as the party’s high command intended to pick a legislator from Dakshina Kannada district, the BJP’s bastion.
Party sources in New Delhi said that two ministers are likely to be dropped from the cabinet including independent MLA and incumbent Excise Minister H Nagesh and Women and Child Welfare Minister Sasikala Jolle. Minister Sasikala Jolle is likely to be replaced by Hiriyur MLA K Poornima, BJP sources said. Other aspirants for the ministerial berths include Dharwad MLA Arvind Bellad, an industrialist, who has been responsible for mediating talks with companies to set up industrial clusters in Hubballi-Dharwad, Yadgiri and Koppal districts.