CM will decide on cabinet in consultation with BJP leadership: Arun Singh

Bengaluru: As the wait continues for the expansion or reshuffle of the State cabinet, BJP National General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh on Saturday said the cabinet exercise is the prerogative of the Chief Minister and he will take the right decision at the right time in consultation with the party leadership.

Speaking to reporters after attending State BJP core committee meeting here, he said the candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls will be decided by the BJP's central election committee after the State committee sends a list of names. "This is an old and permanent question and my permanent reply is that it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister...he will discuss and take the right decision at the right time," Singh said in response to a question on cabinet expansion or rejig. Asked why there is a "confusion", as the Chief Minister has stated that he is waiting for high command's clearance for cabinet exercise, Singh said, "there is no confusion...we are very clear, we have clarity among leaders, also the in party. If there is confusion it is in Congress and its leaders, not in BJP."

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who on Wednesday had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss expansion or rejig of his Cabinet had said that the BJP central leadership would communicate its decision in this regard after discussions, and that "anything may happen at any time." The Chief Minister is under pressure from aspirants to expand his Cabinet at the earliest, ahead of the Assembly polls next year. However, some legislators are of the opinion that cabinet expansion or rejig at this juncture will not be useful, as there is too little time for elections, and not much time for new Ministers to showcase their performance. There are currently five positions vacant in the Cabinet, which has 29 ministers, including the Chief Minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34. Regarding candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and MLC polls in the State, Singh said the normal procedure is the core committee and state election committee discuss and shortlist the names and send it to the central election committee to decide. "The central election committee finally decides the names of the MLC and MP candidates, this is the procedure, this is what we have done here also. The state party president in consultation with the Chief Minister and other leaders will send a list to the central election committee, which will take the decision," he said.