Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai found busy after Amit Shah’s state visit

According to sources in the BJP, Shah has given instructions to Bommai to focus on administration works and prepare for the next Assembly election scheduled for 2023. “After Shah’s instructions, the chief minister had called a series of meetings with all department officials from Wednesday. In the meetings, Bommai gave instructions to officials and ministers to implement the various projects that were announced in the Budget,” a senior BJP functionary told The Indian Express.

On Thursday too, Bommai continued to hold meetings with officials and ministers to review the implementation of projects announced in the Budget. “When Bommai and other leaders asked about the cabinet expansion, Shah told them to let the high command decide and said it will be decided soon,” he added.

This weekend, Bommai is scheduled to hold a meeting with all deputy commissioners and chief executive officers of the zila panchayats of all the districts to review various projects.

Shah arrived in Bengaluru Monday night, amid speculations that this could finally lead to a change of the Chief Minister and lead to an expansion of the state cabinet, which has been speculated for some time now. The meetings were scheduled to spell out the strategies for the 2023 Assembly polls and indicate the possible changes in government. But after lunch, at Bommai’s official residence, the meetings with the party units were abruptly cancelled.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai Wednesday had said Shah will communicate to him on BJP central leadership’s decision about expansion or reshuffle of the state cabinet.

The saffron party’s government in the state has come under a lot of pressure in the past few weeks on account of a slew of corruption charges against the Bommai-led government.

Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting scheduled for May 5 was postponed to May 11. This has led to more speculations that it may be to accommodate an expansion or reshuffle of the cabinet, amid various speculations that the BJP high command is expected to take a decision in this regard before May 10. “The BJP high command may take a decision on a cabinet rejig in state next week since Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned from the three-nation European tour on Thursday,” BJP sources told The Indian Express on Friday.