Yediyurappa hints at Karnataka cabinet expansion or reshuffle before May 10
Bengaluru, May 6: Karnataka BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Friday hinted that the much-awaited expansion or reshuffle of the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led cabinet in the state, may take place before May 10.
The former chief minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon take a decision in this regard after discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had visited the city earlier this week.
"...information has come that in three to four days after discussing with everyone. It might be done before May 10, at the earliest the Prime Minister after discussion with Amit Shah will decide on cabinet expansion and other things," Yediyurappa said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said talks about replacing the Chief Minister are mere speculations. "There is no such thing," he added.
Bommai had replaced Yediyurappa as Chief Minister in July last year.
On Thursday, Bommai had said that he is ready to go to New Delhi to discuss about the state cabinet, as soon as the BJP central leadership calls him.
With the state cabinet meeting that was scheduled to be held on May 5 getting postponed to May 11, speculation is rife that it may be to accommodate expansion or reshuffle of the ministry, amid reports that the BJP high command is expected to arrive at a decision in this regard before May 10.
Shah's visit to the city on Tuesday had come amid buzz over possible changes in the leadership, and pressure to rejig or expand the cabinet, ahead of the Assembly polls in 2023.
Several top BJP leaders have denied speculations about Bommai's replacement.
According to top BJP sources, Shah too is said to have asked Bommai to focus on development and election preparations, and leave the rest to the party leadership.
Amid murmurs in the BJP circles that a top-to-bottom overhaul of the cabinet cannot be ruled out, ministerial aspirants are hopeful that a decision is likely soon regarding cabinet expansion or reshuffle, and there are even talks that several incumbents could make way for fresh faces.
Bommai is under pressure from aspirants to expand or reshuffle his cabinet at the earliest, ahead of the polls next year.
There are currently five positions vacant in the state cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the chief minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.
Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the assembly elections.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hamas accepts cease-fire proposal for Gaza, but Israel's stance still uncertain
Jerusalem, May 6: Hamas announced Monday it has accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal, but there was no immediate word from Israel, leaving it uncertain whether a deal had been sealed to bring a halt to the seven-month-long war in Gaza.
It was the first glimmer of hope that a deal might avert further bloodshed. Hours earlier, Israel ordered some 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating the southern Gaza town of Rafah, signalling that an attack was imminent. The United States and other key allies of Israel oppose an offensive on Rafah, where around 1.4 million Palestinians, more than half of Gaza's population, are sheltering.
An official familiar with Israeli thinking said Israeli officials were examining the proposal, but the plan approved by Hamas was not the framework Israel proposed.
An American official also said the US was still waiting to learn more about the Hamas position and whether it reflected an agreement to what had already been signed off on by Israel and international negotiators or something else. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as a stance was still being formulated.
Details of the proposal have not been released. Touring the region last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had pressed Hamas to take the deal, and Egyptian officials said it called for a cease-fire of multiple stages starting with a limited hostage release and some Israeli troop pullbacks from Gaza. The two sides would also negotiate a “permanent calm” that would lead to a full hostage release and greater Israeli withdrawal, they said.
