Speculation rife in Karnataka as CM convenes meeting of cabinet, MPs
Bengaluru: 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, and that of party MPs at his home office 'Krishna' at 4 pm, official sources said on Thursday.
There have been rumors 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, but some within the party like senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal have openly talked about his replacement.
Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan on Thursday said Yediyurappa will continue in his post.
"...we are saying repeatedly that there is no leadership change in Karnataka, Yediyurappa will continue as Chief Minister. There will be no change, he (Yediyurappa) is our leader and he will continue," Narayan told reporters.
The Chief Minister's political secretary M P Renukacharya too said, "our national leaders and state president have said that Yediyurappa will continue as CM".
He hit out at the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah, who had claimed the BJP will change the Chief Minister citing "information from sources in Delhi".
The meeting with MPs has come in the backdrop of, Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha member V Srinivas Prasad on Wednesday making no secret of his "disenchantment" with the Chief Minister, by stating that Yediyurappa "doesn't need us anymore".
Confirming about the MPs meeting on Friday, Gulbarga Lok Sabha member Umesh Jadhav said, "I have received a WhatsApp message and a phone call from the CM's office informing about the MPs meeting at 4 pm tomorrow.
"Subject has not been specified; it may be about development and issues pertaining to the state that are pending before the Centre," he said.
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 traveling to the national capital despite cabinet meeting on Friday has tongue 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.
According to sources, senior national BJP leaders are likely to attend Ravi's office event and the Ministers are expected to meet them regarding developments in the state.
Yediyurappa on Wednesday said that he was expecting communication from the BJP high command in 2-3 days regarding the expansion or reshuffle of his cabinet.
He had met Nadda in this regard in Delhi last week but was reportedly asked to wait for clearance from the central leadership to go ahead with the process.
BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santosh on Monday met the Chief Minister and both leaders reportedly held discussions in this regard.
Political activities have intensified within the ruling BJP camp in the state after Yediyurappa on November 10, soon after the party's victory in bypolls to two assembly constituencies, had indicated that cabinet reshuffle is on cards.
The exercise is expected to be a tightrope walk for Yediyurappa, considering that there are too many aspirants.
While several of the old guards like Umesh Katti are waiting for a chance to be inducted into the Ministry, Congress-JD(S) rebels like AH Vishwanath, R Shankar, and M T B Nagaraj, who helped the BJP to come to power last year and are now party MLCs, are also aspiring for slots.
The cabinet currently has 27 members and seven berths are vacant.
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CM Siddaramaiah meets Neha Hiremath's family, offers condolences
Dharwad (Karnataka), Apr 25: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday visited Neha Hiremath's house and offered condolences to her family members.
Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress councilor of Hubballi-Dharwad Muncipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on April 18 by her former classmate Fayaz Khondunaik.
CCTV footage showed Fayaz stabbing Neha multiple times before fleeing the spot. He was arrested by police later.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and protests across Karnataka.
Talking to reporters later, the chief minister termed the incident unfortunate.
"Already I have said that I strongly condemn Neha Hiremath's murder. I have assigned the case to the CID for a detailed investigation," Siddaramaiah said.
ALSO READ: My family faces threat from strangers who filmed inside my house: Neha's father
"Along with that we will constitute a special court (to try the case). Special court specifically for this case,
to ensure maximum punishment is given to the accused as per the IPC provision," he added.
On the BJP's demand for a CBI investigation, the chief minister said the BJP is politicising the issue.
"Did the BJP ever give any case to the CBI when they were in power in Karnataka? Show me just one case. During my previous term as chief minister I had assigned many cases to the CBI," Siddaramaiah said.
He declined to discuss political matters, saying he has come here to Dharwad to console the family and offer condolences over Neha Hiremath's death.
"We will be with them (Hiremaths). I pray for her soul to rest in peace," the chief minister said.
On the alleged threat to the family and arresting others involved in the case, the chief minister said the government will provide security to the family and also ordered the CID to investigate the angle regarding the involvement of others in this case.
Speaking on the occasion, Neha's father Niranjan Hiremath thanked Siddaramaiah and state Law Minister H K Patil for quickly responding to the demand and ordering that a special court be set up to try the case and for transferring the probe to the CID.
He said Congress General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala has promised him that justice would be delivered in this case within 90 days, or if it gets delayed then it would not exceed 120 days.
"I demand capital punishment for the accused," Hiremath said.
