Karnataka: BSY for lion's share in Cabinet expansion

BANGALORE: Even as the news of Cabinet expansion is doing rounds, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his followers are busy evolving strategies to ensure that their camp gets the maximum share in the expansion.
Yeddyurappa and his supporters on Sunday held a meeting at the latter’s residence at Dollars Colony in Bangalore, where they discussed the ways and means to stall Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda’s plans to expand his nine-month-old cabinet.
Yeddyurappa has so far been successful in preventing Gowda from expanding his cabinet.  But this time, he might find it difficult as the CM and the party high command are under pressure with over 60 BJP MLAs demanding expansion. A signature campaign demanding early cabinet expansion is going on under the leadership of Chikmagalur MLA CT Ravi.
Yeddyurappa and his followers are now focusing on getting the maximum of the 11 cabinet berths that are to be filled. They also want to ensure that none of the ministers from their camp is dropped or removed from current portfolios.
It is said that Gowda may drop a few ministers, including some from the Yeddyurappa camp. The CM may also reshuffle a few portfolios. Reports doing the rounds indicate that the party and RSS are supporting Gowda in this regard.
The meeting was also held to express solidarity with Yeddyurappa ahead of the crucial Supreme Court verdict next week.
It was also decided in the meeting to demand at least two out of the three Legislative Council seats that are to be nominated by the government for their supporters. The state cabinet will meet on Monday to authorise the CM to select the candidates.

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