Decision about cabinet revamp will be taken in Delhi: CM Bommai

PTI, Apr 18, 2022, 12:32 PM IST

Bengaluru: BJP national President J P Nadda will hold a special meeting regarding Karnataka in New Delhi, and thereafter he will be called to the national capital to decide on the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of his state cabinet, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday.

Nadda attended the state BJP executive meet at Hospet in the Vijayanagara district on Sunday. He is visiting various temples and world heritage and archaeological sites in Hampi on Monday.

”Nadda Ji has said that after going to Delhi, he will hold a special meeting regarding Karnataka and will inform, and asked me to come (to Delhi) thereafter,” Bommai told reporters here.

Asked whether it will be an expansion or reshuffle, he said it will be decided in Delhi after a meeting with the high command.

There is pressure mounting on the Chief Minister to expand or rejig his cabinet soon, after the Assembly elections in five states recently.

Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka Cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the Assembly elections next year.

There are currently 29 Ministers in the State Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, and after the recent resignation of Minister K S Eshwarappa, against the sanctioned strength of 34.

The cabinet exercise will be crucial ahead of the Assembly elections next year, in which the saffron party aims to return to power once again, and has set a target of winning a minimum of 150 seats in the 225-member House. Regarding alleged malpractices in connection with the police sub-inspector exams, Bommai said, as soon as the Home Minister got to know about it, he ordered CID to investigate, to get an impartial probe done.

The government wants a thorough probe, whether it is at the exam center level or supervisor level or the senior officials level, he said, adding that ”if there was the government of any other party, they would have shut the case. As soon as we got to know, we asked for a CID probe and we have given them a free hand, the guilty will be punished…based on the probe report we will decide on the next action regarding the exam and results.”