Cabinet expansion could take place within next week: K'taka CM after meeting PM, top BJP leaders

New Delhi: On his first visit to Delhi after becoming chief minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP top brass after which he said the expansion of the state Cabinet could take place within the next week keeping in view the rising Covid cases and floods in some districts. Bommai said he explained the necessity of "early cabinet expansion" at his meeting with BJP president J P Nadda.

"We will get the nod within the next week. I have not discussed the list of probables in today's meeting. But told the need for an early decision on this issue," he told reporters here after a string of meetings.

Bommai said he may visit Delhi again on this issue

and sought time from the BJP high command.

Bommai, who was elected as the new leader of the BJP legislature party on Tuesday following a change of guard after B S Yediyurappa's resignation, took oath as the chief minister on Wednesday. Only Bommai took oath of office. "We discussed the state political situation. He (Nadda) told me to strengthen the party in the state. There should be a coordinated efforts to face several polls from local body elections to by-polls," he said. Assembly elections in Karnataka are due in the first half of 2023.

Expanding his Cabinet will be the first big challenge before Bommai as he will have to navigate maintaining a balance between factions within the ruling BJP. There are several aspirants among the party old guard, and legislators who had joined the BJP after quitting the Congress-JD(S) coalition in 2019. Bommai also made it clear that his government will not be a rubber stamp. "No Bommai stamp or rubber stamp, my administration will have only the BJP stamp."

At his meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Bommai said he updated him about the Covid and floods situation in detail for about 35 minutes.

"I discussed vaccination shortage in the state. The prime minister has assured full support," he said, adding, "He (Modi) told me to give a better and clean government, which the party is expecting and accordingly asked to take decisions".

On the Covid situation in the state, Bommai said that PM asked him to take measures to control the spread of the disease taking note of the rising cases in neighbouring Kerala.

"I informed him that a direction has been issued to district collectors (DCs) and superintendent of police (SPs) of bordering states for better monitoring and control of the covid situation," he said.

The DCs have been told to increase the testing facilities and strengthen the health infrastructure in bordering districts, he added.

Besides the prime minister and BJP chief, Bommai met Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and the Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat.