Cabinet expansion: Bommai says final list of probables expected today

New Delhi: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said a detailed discussion was held with BJP president J P Nadda on the expansion of his cabinet and the final list is expected on Tuesday, August 3 evening.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi and Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel also attended the meeting.

‘We had a detailed discussion with Naddaji. We are expecting the final list tomorrow evening,’ Bommai told reporters after a close to an hour long meeting.

One list of probable names was discussed and the BJP chief will take a call, he said. The BJP central leadership will have another round of discussion within themselves before releasing the final list, the chief minister said.

‘We explained the ground situation in the state. They have also expressed certain things. We want to give a proactive and credible cabinet,’ Bommai said.

The meeting was rescheduled four times.

The chief minister also met BJP national general secretary B L Santosh and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

However, Bommai’s meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah could not take place. Sources said that one round of discussion on cabinet expansion between Bommai and senior party leaders took on Sunday night. In Karnataka, senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah took a dig at the BJP government, saying the new CM was running around for cabinet expansion instead of focusing on COVID-19.

‘Thousands have died in the absence of adequate hospitals, beds, ventilators and oxygen. It must be prevented from recurring but Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is running around for cabinet expansion instead of focusing on COVID-19,’ Siddaramaiah told reporters in Karwar, the headquarters town of Uttara Kannada district.

Earlier in the day, Bommai said the expansion will be done in a balanced way keeping in mind the previous team.

He had also said that cabinet formation, including whether it should be done in several stages or one go, would be discussed with Nadda.

Even balancing of regional and social representation will be kept in mind while deciding names, he had said.

‘Based on these factors, the numbers and names will be decided. Even how many deputy CMs should be made will also be decided,’ Bommai had said.

The chief minister further said that in the current political situation efforts will be made to take every one together.

‘We are hopeful that cabinet making will be fruitful. Not only fruitful, it should serve the purpose of serving the people of the state,’ he said.

The chief minister had said some aspirants have met him here and held discussions. ‘They also know not everyone can become ministers,’ he said.

‘We will do it in a balanced way keeping in mind the previous cabinet team,’ he had said.

Bommai took oath as the chief minister on July 28 after the resignation of his predecessor B S Yediyurappa on July 26.

He is the lone Cabinet member in the government.