Bangalore: Seeking to downplay the decision to shelve ministry expansion plan at the last minute, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa Wednesday said it was due to delay in finalising the names and he would soon set a new date for the exercise.
"Due to delay in finalising the names of those to be inducted into the ministry, I had to cancel today`s swearing in. I will set a new date and am sure to expand the ministry",
he told reporters here.
The Chief Minister said he would discuss the ministry expansion issue soon with party higher-ups.
Yeddyurappa, who recently survived a trust vote in the assembly, had decided to fill up four of the six vacant ministerial posts, but called it off after protests from some
partymen.
BJP`s Chief Whip in the Assembly D N Jeevaraj had quit his post on Nov 1, apparently unhappy with the fact that he may not find a slot.
A section of partymen had also opposed rewarding lone independent Varthur Prakash and Narasimha Naik, rebels turned loyalists, ignoring the claims of senior legislators.
Meanwhile, state unit BJP President K S Eshwarappa
indicated the ministry expansion might take place either
before Deepavali or soon after that.
Varthur Prakash, one of the MLAs who was tipped to
take oath as minister today, met Yeddyurappa at his official
residence to discuss the issue.
The BJP high command had yesterday stepped in to check
the brewing discontent in the Karnataka unit on ministry
expansion and directed Yeddyurappa to call off the swearing-in.
Yeddyurappa faced the trust vote on October 11 which
was carried by voice vote but declared unconstitutional by the
Governor who asked him to prove his majority for the second
time on October 22. The government managed to sail through
with 106 votes in its favour and 100 against.
PTI
