Karnataka Cabinet expansion would take some time, says CM Bommai as lobbying continues

Indicating that expansion of his Cabinet may take some time, newly-appointed Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that he will discuss the cabinet expansion with the party's central leadership. This statement by Basavaraj Bommai comes at a time when the Ministerial aspirants have continued lobbying to secure a berth in the new cabinet.

The Karnataka CM is scheduled to go to the National Capital on Friday morning to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh and BJP national president JP Nadda. Bommai had said, "This is my first visit (as CM), this will be to greet them and take their blessings."

CM Bommai on Karnataka Cabinet expansion

While speaking to reporters on his arrival at Hubbali on his way to flood and rain ravaged Uttara Kannada district, the Chief Minister said that after his visit to Delhi, he will seek the leadership's appointment to discuss the Karanataka Cabinet expansion. During the trip, things may be finalised, he added. 

Earlier during the day, while responding to a question about pressure on him from Ministerial aspirants, the Karnataka CM has said that it is common. He stated that once someone becomes the Chief Minister and has to expand the cabinet, it is common. Informing that PM Modi had spoken to him over the phone on Wednesday and wished him all the best, Bommai informed that the Prime Minister had also expressed hopes of good administration under his leadership. 

"When I go to Delhi to meet the party leadership, I will also try to meet our Members of Parliament and central Ministers from Karnataka on the pending projects and issues concerning the state," he had added.

Asserting that he has spoken to senior BJP leader and former Minister Jagadish Shettar, who has decided not to be part of the new Cabinet, Basavaraj Bommai said that he will also meet him personally and discuss it with the party leadership. 

The Karanataka Chief Minister said, "I have told him (Shettar) that I will come and speak to him personally. We have close bonding as we have grown together. We were friends even before we came to politics, so I have good regard, love and affection towards him and he too has similar feelings for me. We had a good relationship even when we were in different parties," he said.

Bommai, who was elected as the new leader of the BJP legislature party on Tuesday, following B S Yediyurappa''s resignation, took oath as the Chief Minister on Wednesday. Expanding the Ministry will be the first big challenge before the new Chief Minister as he will have to navigate through the cabinet formation exercise by maintaining a balance between factions within the ruling BJP. There are several aspirants among the party old guard and legislators who had joined the BJP after quitting the Congress-JD(S) coalition in 2019. 

(Image: PTI)