K'taka Cabinet exercise on January 13 or 14, Nadda will be invited: Yediyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister B SYediyurappa on Monday said the much-awaited expansion orreshuffle of his cabinet will take place on January 13 or 14,and BJP President J P Nadda will be invited for the swearing-in.

Though the Chief Minister indicated seven new faces willbe inducted, he did not make it clear whether it will be acabinet expansion or reshuffle.

The ministry currently has 27 members and seven berthsare vacant.

As it became clear that the much-awaited exercise wouldfinally happen this week, Ministerial aspirants stepped upefforts to secure a berth on Monday even as speculation that afew incumbents may be dropped kept some on tenterhooks.

''On January 13 or 14 according to convenience of ournational President J P Nadda and Karnataka in-charge (generalsecretary Arun Singh), by inviting them, swearing in ceremonywill be organised,'' Yediyurappa told reporters here.

After paying tributes to former prime minister LalBahadur Shastri on his death anniversary, he said, about sevenpeople will be inducted.

Asked whether it will be cabinet expansion or reshuffle,he said, ''let's see, you will get to know.'' On returning from New Delhi after holding discussionswith Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the cabinetexpansion, Yediyuurappa had on Sunday said seven members wouldbe inducted and that he will finalise the names on Monday.

Yediyurappa was waiting to carry out theexpansion/reshuffle as he was asked by the BJP presidentduring their meeting in New Delhi on November 18 to wait forthe clearance from the central leadership.

Amid reports that he might be dropped, Excise Minister HNagesh said he was not aware of any such move.

The Minister said he was promised that he would not beeased out from the cabinet as he had played a crucial role inthe BJP forming government and he trusted the chief minister.

''It is I who paved the way for BJP government formation,CM and people of the state are aware of it,'' Nagesh, aminister in the previous JDS-Congress government, said.

Responding to similar speculations about being dropped,from the Ministry, Women and Child Development MinisterShashikala Jolle said she has not got any such intimation fromthe party leadership so far.

She, however, maintained she will abide by the decisionof the high command.

The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be atightrope walk, considering that there are too many aspirants,from the party old guard to Congress-JD(S) rebels-turned BJPlegislators, whose revolt had paved the way for formation ofthe present BJP government.

Among the aspirants are party seniors such as UmeshKatti, eight-time MLA from Hukkeri, who has been sulking forsome time for not getting a Ministerial berth, six time MLA GH Thippareddy, Chief Minister's political secretary M PRenukacharya and Arvind Limbavali.

Congress-JD(S) rebels-turned BJP legislators, includingMunirathna, R Shankar and M T B Nagaraj, who helped the partycome to power, are also keen to become ministers.

While Munirathna is now BJP MLA from RR Nagar, Shankarand Nagaraj are MLCs.

''I have never lobbied for the Ministership and will neverdo it in the future as well....if its in my fate to become aMinister I will become and no one can deny it to me,'' Kattisaid.

Pointing to his seniority, Thippareddy, who representsChitradurga constituency, claimed it was the people's wishthat the district has to get the Minister post.

''Chitradurga has not got the Minister post whenever theBJP has come to power in the state and we are of the feelingthat the Chief Minister and our leadership will make way forit,'' he said.

Munirthna said he was confident that Yediyurappa willkeep up the ''promise'' and will take an appropriate decision.

Yediyurappa had recently indicated that MLC C PYogeshwar, who was said to have played a key role in managingCongress-JD(S) rebel MLAs during the political turmoil in thestate in 2019, that eventually led to BJP to come to power,would be made a Minister.