Intense lobbying for Cabinet berths is on in the BJP, but the final say on the make-up of the new Cabinet rests with the party’s central leadership. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has announced that he will be leaving for New Delhi after the trust vote on Monday to meet the party high command to consult them about the State Cabinet expansion, expected by mid-week.
Sources said Mr. Yediyurappa is expected to have a long list of potential Ministers when he meets the central leaders, from which the final list will be hammered out. The BJP has promised eight Cabinet berths to rebel MLAs, added the source.
However, the question of whether the rebel MLAs will take oath as Ministers in the upcoming Cabinet expansion will depend on the decision of Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar. “The rebels can take oath as Ministers only if he accepts their resignation by then. Ramesh Jarkiholi, who led a team of rebels and was expected to become a Minister, has been disqualified now. He has to wait,” a senior leader said. If they are either disqualified or if the Speaker does not take a call on either their resignation or disqualification by then, the eight berths may be kept vacant, sources added.
BJP is keen to elect one of its MLAs as Speaker at the earliest to clear all hurdles for the rebels. This has also turned into an issue as most of the MLAs the party thinks have the potential to lead the Assembly seem unwilling as they aspire to be Ministers, sources said. The names of Jagadish Shettar, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, S. Suresh Kumar and K.G. Bopaiah are doing the rounds. Party sources don’t rule out a surprise choice as well.