State BJP in a fix, seeks central advice on cabinet rejig

Bengaluru: The Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka that is acquiring a critical mass in the last two days, has further snowballed into a major challenge to the State BJP leadership. According to sources within the State BJP, the leadership has been pushed into a catch-22 situation.

The internal intelligence of the party has reported three major challenges appearing on the horizon. Firstly, the cabinet rejig is a must which may or may not include the existing ministers except two or three.Secondly, those 12 legislators from Congress and JDS who defected to the BJP in 2020, may go for the jugular pressing for ministerial berths. At least six of them are likely to leave the party.Thirdly, the State party must take the decision on reshuffle within next one week and the new ministers should be sworn in before 1st of March.

A three-member committee has been constituted on the advice of the party's top national-level leaders. The committee comprises Revenue Minister R Ashoka, BJP State vice president Nirmal Kumar Surana and former deputy chief minister Lakshman Savadi to go into the reshuffle procedure. The committee met in the BJP headquarters at Malleshwaram on Monday.

It was least expected by the party State leadership and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai that M P Renukacharya would raise the issue of cabinet rejig. "Renukacharya is the political secretary of Basavaraj Bommai and has made a statement against the ministers. If he himself is saying that the ministers were not working and not available for addressing the problems of the people in their respective constituencies, is not this a reflection of the BJP government's performance?" asked senior Congress legislator Priyank Kharge.

Khargethinks that the growing demand for Cabinet reshuffle is a sign of weak government led by a weak leadership.

Renukacharya is firm on his demand. "Why does the leadership think that there are only a few persons in the party who can be ministers? There are others who are more capable and more committed to taking up responsibilities in the government.If given a chance, they will work hard to strengthen the BJP government. I am sure party's image will shine brighter by the time State goes to polls in 2023."

Basanagouda Patil Yathnal says it is the luxury of time that the BJP does not have. "We have a little more than a year for Assembly elections and if the party has to give a chance to the new ministers the process has to start in the next three days and the new ministers should be in the office by the first week of February." What is the hurry? When asked Yathnal said in the run-up to the elections the new ministers will not only complete the work half done by the existing ministers but also bring in new development projects and initiate them. There is an urgent need for getting much social justice and implement projects," he added.