Shobha to Head State Unit of BJP?

Bangalore, May 13 (Mid-Day): As a first step to regain absolute control over party, CM may try to ensure that his trusted friend Shobha Karandlaje becomes party's state president

Dissident activities in the BJP appear to have settled down in favour of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and he is believed to be plotting to tighten his grip over the party.

If all goes well for him, his close friend and Cabinet Minister Shobha Karandlaje will become state president of the party.

President's post is the most crucial position and sources say the CM wants one of his trusted lieutenants there

While his government will complete three years this month and the opposition parties are heading out to campaign against his misrule, the CM is strategically going about to lay a strong foundation for the polls well in advance.
 
The first step in his plan is to take full control over the party and accordingly, he chooses to make Karandlaje the state unit chief.

Most trusted

"Although the assembly polls are still a distant scene, the CM wants to be well prepared for it. The president post is the most crucial position and Yeddyurappa wants one his trusted lieutenants there when it happens," said a source close to the CM.

The incumbent president K S Eswarappa, who was seen as the dissident leader, is surprisingly calm after spitting fire against Yeddyurappa. Insiders in the party said Yeddyurappa has struck a deal with him and even offered him the post of Deputy Chief Minister.

"Cabinet expansion is on cards and the CM wants to take advantage of it. He will give Eswarappa a plum portfolio and even went to the extent of offering him Deputy CM's post," said the source.

Eyeing the hot seat

However Eswarappa, has set his sights on the CM post, but has not cleared his stand on this, and his followers say that he is unlikely to fall in line with Yeddyurappa.
 
He was the power minister before he moved to the party president post and a cabinet berth would not be a big prize for him.

Also, the party high command is not likely to take the idea of making him DCM because he from Shimoga district, which also happens to be the district from where Yeddyurappa hails.

"These are all speculations and nothing of that sort is happening. Our priority is to strengthen the party and prepare to face elections," said Eswarappa. He remained noncommittal on the cabinet expansion saying it was the prerogative of the CM.

While there are seven vacancies in the cabinet, Yeddyurappa is understood to have planned to make it 11 by taking resignation from ministers like S A Ravindranatha and Visweswara Hegde Kageri in order to create slots to accommodate disgruntled members in the party.

A patient game

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment on the disqualification of eleven BJP MLAs, who had written to the governor saying they were not supporting Yeddyurappa as the CM last October, prompting the speaker of the assembly to disqualify them under anti-defection law.

While many of the disqualified MLAs are understood to have come back to Yeddyurappa's fold, the CM may have accommodated a few of them in the cabinet in case their disqualification is quashed.

The sources said Yeddyurappa is waiting for the court verdict on the disqualification before planning for the cabinet expansion.

Choosing to play his cards close to his chest, Yeddyurappa, told the media, "I have no plans on cabinet expansion. If the party high command asks me to do it, I will do it. But currently, there is no such scene."