Cabinet reshuffle will take some time as modalities being

Amid talks of a cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka early this week, with an aim to save the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in the state, top official sources Monday said it will take some time as modalities are still being worked out. With reports suggesting that some Ministers would be asked to step down to make way for disgruntled MLAs, upset over not being inducted into the Ministry, sources said Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy may go for first filling up three vacant posts.

"A cabinet reshuffle of expansion will not take place immediately as being reported...it may take some time, it may take another week or so," a top official source told PTI. "Chief Minister and Siddarmaiah (coordination committee chief) have discussed it, how and in what way it should be done on that...Siddaramaiah will talk to Delhi (Congress high-command) and will inform.

It will take some time, not on Wednesday as being reported," the official, who did not wish to be named, said. Meanwhile, the state cabinet that met Monday did not discuss the issue, with Ministers ruling out any such immediate move.

"I'm not aware of it...you (in the media) seem to know everything. I don't have any information on the cabinet reshuffle. It was also not discussed in the cabinet and as far as I know, there is no such proposal for now," Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters after the cabinet meeting in response to a question.

According to reports, some Ministers may be asked to step down to make way for disgruntled legislators, with an aim to keep the government safe. The cabinet which had met informally on Friday after the coalitions rout in the Lok Sabha polls had discussed it The issue may also come up at the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Wednesday.

Terming as 'premature', media reports about a cabinet reshuffle a Minister who attended the cabinet meeting said, "I don't see it happening as on May 29." He pointed out that the three cabinet vacancies have to be first filled, only after which any reshuffle would take place, as otherwise, it would create further confusion. "At least I haven't heard anything of that sort (reshuffle)," he said.

Asked about reports of some ministers offering to quit to make way for disgruntled MLAs in the larger interest of the party, the Minister said it was something we had said some months ago and I still stand by it. Amid simmering discontent within Congress, the coalition leaders fear that BJP may take advantage of the situation and poach some MLAs.

Rebel Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholis visit to senior BJP leader S M Krishna's home here in the presence of party state Chief B S Yeddyurappa on Sunday had fueled the speculation. Jarkiholi, who has been hobnobbing with BJP for some time now, had threatened to resign from the party along with some MLAs after the Lok Sabha polls, which will lead to a numbers game in the assembly.

BJP has predicted the collapse of the coalition and increase in its tally in the assembly after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs are unhappy with the government and may take any decision anytime, as coalition partners Congress and JD(S) managed to win one seat each in the Lok Sabha polls. Of the 34 ministries, Congress and JD(S) has shared 22 and 12 respectively.

Currently, three posts are vacant, two from JD(S) and one from the Congress.