Bengaluru, Jan 7 (IANS): The ruling BJP's central leadership would soon decide on the much-awaited cabinet expansion in Karnataka, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Wednesday.

"Our party's central leaders will soon decide on the state cabinet expansion. The cabinet will be expanded and reshuffled as per the party leadership's directive," Yediyurappa said in a statement here.

Speculation is rife in the southern state that the cabinet would be expanded after January 14 when the "inauspicious" month ends with the advent of Makar Sankranti festival and Uttarayan, which marks the entry of sun into the northern hemisphere from Dakshinayan or southern hemisphere.

Contrary to expectations, the third cabinet expansion to fill seven vacancies in the 34-member ministry has been delayed over the months for some reason or the other, including rumours over alleged bid to replace Yediyurappa as he is 78 years old.

Arun Singh, BJP's national general secretary and in-charge of the party's affairs in the state, however, claimed that Yediyurappa would continue in the post and ruled out any change in the leadership till the next Assembly elections in 2023.

Among the ministerial aspirants, R. Shankar on Tuesday met Yediyurappa and claimed that the cabinet would be expanded after the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state in the third week of January to participate in some events.

"Shah is due to visit Karnataka after Sankranti to meet party's state leaders in the city and unveil the training centres of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Bhadravati and Hospet and visit the world heritage site at Hami in Ballari district.

The cabinet was expanded for the second time on February 6, 2020 when 10 legislators, who defected from Congress and JD-S, were inducted after they won in the by-elections held in December 2019. They had resigned in July 2019, which led to the fall of the 14-month JD-S-Congress coalition government.

The first cabinet expansion, in which 17 ministers were inducted, took place on August 20, 2019.

Yediyurappa was sworn-in as the Chief Minister for the third time on July 26, 2019.