by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore
- Venkaiah Naidu talks to CM.
- BJP for expansion in two instalments.
- Astrologer fixes muhurat at 12.47 pm.
Bangalore, Feb 10: Now that the main hurdle is cleared with the Kumaraswamy Government winning the trust vote, it is time for the new coalition Government to take up the more knotty exercise of Cabinet expansion.
Soon after the special session of the Assembly was over last night, both the camps (BJP and JD-S) stepped up lobbying for Cabinet berths triggered by the arrival of National BJP Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is in the capital to assist in the Cabinet expansion.
Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting in the early hours of Thursday February 9 morning with the Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and BJP National General Secretary Ananth Kumar in an undisclosed location.
As these leaders were busy in the consultations, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa held a separate meeting of Party Legislators at his residence.
According to reliable sources, the Cabinet expansion most possibly will take place on Friday February 10. It is also said an astrologer, close to Kumaraswamy's brother Revanna, has fixed an auspicious muhurat at 12.47 pmon Friday for the swearing-in ceremony of new Ministers.
BJP sources said that the party is not in favour of filling its 17 vacancies in one go. In order to tackle the pulls and counter-pulls, the leadership is planning to expand its wing in the Cabinet in two installments. However, JD(S) camp will go head to fill 12 out of the remaining 15 berths sparing three berths.
Chief Minister Kumaraswamy is learnt to have reserved these three seats as he expects MP Prakash, H.D. Revanna and P.G.R. Sindhya to join the Cabinet.
In view of the expansion exercise, both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister have cancelled all their public engagements for a couple of days
The Chief Minister is learnt to have decided to complete the expansionon Firday as he will be in Delhi along with Yediyurappa from Feb. 11 to 15 to hold consultations with BJP President Rajnath Singh, former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vijpayee and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.