Cabinet reshuffle soon, says Karnataka CM Bommai ahead of assembly polls

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday announced a cabinet reshuffle in the poll-bound Karnataka ahead of the state assembly election to be held this year.

"Cabinet expansion will be done soon, I have already conveyed the message to high command and high command will take a decision accordingly soon. I don't know who'll be inducted in the cabinet, the high command will take a decision soon after a meeting," Bommai said.

Karnataka is slated to go to Assembly polls this year.

Earlier in December last year, Bommai said the cabinet reshuffle is likely to happen in Karnataka.

Addressing the media persons during a press conference in Belagavi, Bommai said that he has provided details about the expansion of the Karnataka cabinet to Ex-Karnataka Ministers, Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi.

Bommai's statement came amid a tussle and rift in the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after KS Eshwarappa and Ramesh Jarkiholi skipped the winter session, last year, at Vidhan Soudha in Belagavi and attacked the state leadership.

"I have met Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi about the expansion and gave them detail. This expansion issue has been discussed with them and I have already conveyed the same to the high command earlier. I will visit Delhi soon," CM Bommai said in a press conference in December.

The absence of Eshwarappa and Jarkiholi had initially raised speculations about internal conflict, which CM Bommai later clarified that it was not a boycott.

"It's not a boycott. After (KS Eshwarappa) got clean chit (in the contractor death case), I discussed with high command (regarding his inclusion in the cabinet). I will speak to them personally," CM Bommai had said.

On being asked about the early elections in the state, CM Bommai exuded confidence in 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 in December.