Will expand Ministry in 3-4 days: CM Yediyurappa
Bengaluru, Jan 24: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday said the much awaited expansion of his ministry will be carried out in three to four days.
On his arrival here from Davos after attending the World Economic Forum meet, he reiterated that he will keep up the promise of making disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs, who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets, as ministers.
"Tomorrow, Amit Shah (Union Home Minister) is coming, I had discussed with him during the recent visit also, in three to four days cabinet will be expanded, will do it hundred per cent within this month.
I will speak to him (Shah) and fix the date, I will also request him to be there (during expansion) if possible," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters, he said there was no need for him to travel to Delhi, as he has already had discussion with Shah and has got approval for the exercise.
"I will speak to him (Shah) once again (tomorrow), release the list (of ministers) and expand the cabinet with swearing-in ceremony in three to four days," he said, adding that Shah will be visiting the city to attend some programme.
The Chief Minister who had begun his Davos tour on January 19, returned to the city on Friday afternoon.
Yediyurappa, who was anxiously waiting for the high command's nod to expand his ministry amid intense lobbying by the aspirants, was keen on getting approval for the exercise from Shah, ahead of his Davos tour.
Though party sources have said he will have to go to Delhi and discuss with new party national president J P Nadda on the ministry expansion exercise, the Chief Minister has maintained that there was no need for him to travel to the national capital.
Responding to a question as to how many legislators who won the bypolls will be made ministers, Yediyurappa said "You will get to know about it once the cabinet expansion is done, wait till then."
To a question on talks that seven out of 11 legislators who won the bybolls after they were disqualified, will be made ministers, he said "there was no truth in that.
If there is anything particular, I will think and talk about it, but as I had promised they will get opportunity in the ministry."
With high command reportedly not keen on making all the 11 re-elected legislators ministers, whom Yediyurappa has given assurance, it remains to be seen how things turn out.
Not wanting to react on criticism from a few aspirants, about the delay in ministry expansion, he said "it is true that there has been a delay, in three days cabinet expansion will be done.
It is my duty to fulfill the promise that I had made to some people, I will fulfill it."
As the Chief Minister has already made it clear that 11 of the disqualified JDS-Congress MLAs who got re-elected in the bypolls on BJP tickets will be made ministers, lobbying has been on in the party for the remaining ministerial berths.
Currently there are 18 Ministers, including the Chief Minister in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34.
Cabinet expansion will not be an easy task for the Chief Minister as he will have to strike a balance by accommodating the victorious disqualified legislators as promised and also make place for the old guard, upset at being "neglected" in the first round of the induction exercise.
He also has to give adequate representation to various castes and regions in his cabinet and also deal with allocation of key portfolios.
Also, disqualified legislators who lost on a BJP ticket during the bypoll like A H Vishwanath (Hunsur) openly expressing their ministerial aspirations has added to the Chief Minister's worry.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
