Karnataka Cabinet Meet updates: Meeting concludes; issue of Lingayats' OBC status postponed to next Cabinet meet

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has convened a meeting of his cabinet and party MPs on Friday as he awaits approval from the BJP central leadership to carry out the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of his Cabinet. Stay tuned for live updates.

Issue of OBC status to Veerashaiva-Lingayats postponed to next Cabinet meeting, says Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister JC Madhuswamy

Cabinet meeting concludes; no briefing to take place

Lingayat-OBC decision after Delhi visit, cabinet expansion in 2-3 days, says CM

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that he would travel to Delhi before finalising the decision on including Veerashaiva-Lingayats in the Other Backward Classes list.

On cabinet expansion, he said that it will take place in 2-3 days. "I have just spoken to (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah. They'll clear the list," he said.

Meanwhile, cabinet aspirants and BJP MLCs MTB Nagaraj and R Shankar expressed their displeasure over the delay in inducting them.

"I spoke to Amit Shah some time ago. I will be going to Delhi. Cabinet expansion may happen in 2-3 days"

The cabinet expansion or reshuffle is expected to be a tightrope walk for Yediyurappa, considering that there are too many aspirants. While several of the old guard like Katti are awaiting a chance to be inducted into the Ministry, Congress-JD(S) rebels like A H Vishwanath,R Shankar and M T B Nagaraj, who helped BJP to come to power and are now party MLCs, are also aspiring for slots.

As per the agreement, Yediyurappa will also have to keep space for Munirathna, following his win from Rajarajeshwari Nagar seat in the November 3 bypoll and also for Pratap Gowda Patil who needs to win the Maski bypoll that is yet to be announced. The cabinet currently has 27 members and seven berths are still vacant.

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Flurry of appointments seen as Yediyurappa’s attempt at one-upmanship against the party leadership

Some see the appointments as Yediyurappa’s attempt at one-upmanship against the party leadership for delaying his Cabinet expansion. “Such appointments are the CM’s discretion,” a source said.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah wondered if Yediyurappa was on his way out going by the slew of appointments. “Maybe it is guaranteed that he is going,” he said. The BJP has denied Yediyurappa is being removed.

Why the speculation?

Chief ministers usually appoint MLAs to boards and corporations to mollify them. But despite pressure from ministerial aspirants, Yediyurappa picked only three legislators while doling out positions in boards: Duryodhan Aihole (Raibag), S R Vishwanath (Yelahanka) and B C Nagesh (Tiptur).

The appointments started after Yediyurappa’s meeting with BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh on Monday. Soon after the meeting, Yediyurappa allocated Rs 500 crore to the new Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation.

Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa's master plan: Central OBC status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats?

The B S Yediyurappa-led Cabinet is expected Friday to decide on bringing the dominant Veerashaiva-Lingayat community under the central list of other backward classes (OBC). This is on the agenda for the Cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on Friday morning, according to sources.

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A flurry of appointments

Over the past few days, the administration appointed or nominated 53 people seen as Yediyurappa loyalists as chairpersons, directors and ex-officio members at different boards and corporations.

The Chief Minister making a flurry of political appointments to various statutory bodies in the state in the last two days has also fuelled speculation.

Also, Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi is camping in Delhi, and Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi and Revenue Minister R Ashoka travelling to the national capital despite the cabinet meeting on Friday has set tongues wagging in political circles. Jarkiholi has made it clear he was batting for MLC C P Yogeshwar to be inducted into the Ministry along with a couple of Congress-JD(S) rebels who joined the BJP with him and are now party legislators. Savadi and Ashoka have said that they are going to Delhi to attend BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi's office inauguration.

Change in leadership in state?

There have been rumours in some quarters in recent times that the BJP is weighing the option of leadership change in Karnataka considering the age of Yediyurappa, who is 77. The state BJP has repeatedly rejected such speculations

Meet scheduled to begin at 10:30 am

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has convened a meeting of his cabinet and party MPs on Friday as he awaits approval from the BJP central leadership to carry out the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of his Ministry. The cabinet meeting is slated for 10.30 am at the 'Vidhana Soudha', the seat of power in the state