Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said he will be travelling to New Delhi later in the day to discuss with the BJP's national leadership cabinet expansion and preparations for the 2023 Assembly polls.
He did not rule out the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle, maintaining that things will be known after the meeting. "I'm going to Delhi today afternoon, the last time when I had gone to Delhi certain discussions were incomplete, today the meeting has been scheduled. Our (BJP) national President (J P Nadda) has called this meeting, all our senior leaders will be participating in that meeting, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah," Bommai said. Speaking to reporters here, he said several issues from election preparations to cabinet expansion will be discussed.
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Responding to a question on whether it will it be a cabinet expansion or reshuffle, the Chief Minister said all those things will be known only after the discussions. He said he will also have talks with certain central Ministers during the visit, regarding state related projects, and will try to meet the union water resources Minister. Bommai had earlier indicated that the cabinet exercise is likely after the Gujarat Assembly polls.
The Chief Minister has been under intense pressure for some time now, over expansion and rejig of the Cabinet not taking place, to make way for the fresh faces, ahead of Assembly elections by April-May next year. There were some reports of possible cabinet expansion by filling six vacant posts or a kind of a rejig by dropping a few and inducting an equal number of new faces. There were also talk in some quarters that a Gujarat-like complete top to bottom overhaul of the state ministry may take place. Many aspirants feel it is "too late now" with polls fast approaching.
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It is also expected that the Chief Minister is likely to discuss reservation related issues in the state, with the party leadership. Bommai has to first ensure legal protection to his government's decision of hiking the SC/ST quota, which has taken the total reservation in Karnataka to 56 per cent, exceeding the 50 per cent cap, by bringing it under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. Further, Panchamasali Lingayats are mounting pressure on him to put them under Category 2A from Category 3B of OBC reservation matrix. Then, there is pressure to implement internal quotas for SC/STs. Also, Vokkaligas are putting pressure on Bommai to hike their quota from 4 to 12 per cent.
