The BJP high command will take a decision on the changes to be made in the Karnataka cabinet in the next three to four days after assessing the political situation in the state, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said Wednesday after a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
“Anything can happen at any time. As a political party, decisions will have to be taken on the basis of the overall political situation. On this basis, we have provided information on the overall political situation. The next one week will be politically crucial,” Bommai said regarding the schedule of the imminent changes in the Karnataka cabinet.
Bommai, who is set to meet BJP national president JP Nadda Wednesday evening, also stated that Shah had indicated that the BJP leadership would revert on the issue of cabinet changes after consultations by the party’s top brass.
Bommai said that the Home Minister had been informed about the political situation in Karnataka, including the possibility of the state election commission announcing the dates for the local body polls on the basis of a Supreme Court order of May 10.
“There was a discussion on the political situation and the cabinet expansion. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision yesterday (Tuesday), the decision of the election commission will have a bearing on the cabinet expansion, it was informed. He (Shah) has listened to all that I had to say at length. After discussions with Nadda and senior leaders, a suitable decision will be taken and informed,” Bommai said. “The decision will be taken on the basis of the development over the next couple of days he (Shah) has informed,” the Chief Minister further said.
Bommai’s visit to meet Shah and Nadda comes amid speculations of the BJP contemplating changes in the government in Karnataka, ranging from a total restructuring to a more modest reshuffle with the filling of the five existing vacancies in the 34-member ministry headed by Bommai.
“There was a discussion on the forthcoming Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections. Over all, the discussion was on the Rajya Sabha polls, the MLC polls, the local body polls and the cabinet expansion. A final decision will be taken after discussions with Naddaji it was said. We have provided whatever information had to be provided from our side,” Bommai said after the meeting.
“The decisions will happen according to the situations in each state. The decision on Karnataka will be based on the political situation of the state and the situation in the administration,” Bommai said.
The BJP government in Karnataka has been hit by a slew of corruption charges in recent weeks even as communal issues in the state have seen an uptick on account of the state polls being barely a year away.
There has been some thinking in the BJP central leadership on a complete restructuring of the party’s Karnataka government to salvage political ground lost to corruption and infuse a new energy in the party cadre, BJP leaders in Karnataka have indicated in recent weeks.
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