K’taka: Cabinet reshuffle on cards? CM Bommai to meet BJP high command on 26 Dec
The Maharashtra and Karnataka border row has seeped its way into the Karnataka cabinet, when on Tuesday Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders KS Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi skipped the winter session at Vidhan Soudha in Belagavi and attacked the state leadership.
This had bred contention amongst BJP leaders wherein Karnataka has refused to give up Belgaon (now Belgavi), Karwar and Nippani to Maharashtra.
The Chief Minister is set to visit the BJP headquarters in New Delhi for meeting with BJP high command on Monday, 26 December. He had said reporters in Belagavi that the Karnataka cabinet reshuffle is likely to happen in Karnataka.
Bommai had said that he has provided details about the expansion of the Karnataka cabinet to Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi.
The absence of Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi had initially raised speculations about internal conflict, CM Bommai had said on Tuesday clarified that it was not a boycott. “It’s not a boycott. After (KS Eshwarappa) got clean chit (in contractor death case), I discussed with high command (regarding his inclusion in cabinet). I will speak to them personally,” CM Bommai had said.
Eshwarappa had exuded confidence that he will come out clean in the investigation of the contractor death case.
“I will come out clean. I have said this earlier too. The Investigation is going on. Earlier, I had asked our seniors to take my resignation but they had asked me to wait. Now I do not want to embarrass my seniors and have given my resignation to the Chief Minister,” Eshwarappa had said after tendering his resignation from the party in April over the alleged suicide of contractor Santosh Patil who had accused the minister of corruption.
Deceased contractor Santosh Patil had accused the Minister Eshwarappa of corruption. He was found dead in a lodge in Udupi early this year.
Karnataka is slated to go to Assembly polls next year.
On being asked about the early elections in the state, CM Bommai exuded confidence of completing the tenure and said that he has not spoken to anybody regarding it.
“I have not spoken to anyone related to the early election. I am sure that we will finish our term. The election does not come if anybody claims so,” he said in the press conference.
(With ANI inputs)
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