Convene meeting of party legislators, chief whip tells BJP’s Karnataka chief

Bengaluru: BJP Karkala MLA and chief whip of the party in the State’s assembly V Sunil Kumar has in a letter asked party’s State unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel to immediately convene a meeting of BJP MLAs.

Kumar has reportedly stated in the letter that the statements and comments of many of the MLAs publicly expressing desire or displeasure on the issue of the Cabinet expansion has demoralised grassroots party workers and hence a meet is necessary for the legislators to express their views.

Since the by-election to the Sira and Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituencies were over, speculation and lobbying are rife within the BJP for the cabinet expansion/reshuffle.

Reportedly, factions have formed of loyalists (long-time BJP party members) and new entrants (new members who defected from Congress and JD(S)) within the party vying for a ministerial berth.