‘Will visit Delhi’, confirms Karnataka CM; avoids question on possible cabinet revamp

Instead, Bommai said the visit to Delhi is a part of a tradition where CMs meet MPs from Karnataka before presenting the state Budget. Bommai, who said he will also meet advocates in Delhi, is scheduled to present his maiden Budget in March.

However, sources say several BJP legislators are jockeying for cabinet positions and among other agendas, Bommai is likely to discuss this with the saffron party’s leadership.

Meanwhile, many ministers in the BJP government fear losing their positions in the event of a cabinet reshuffle while many seeking to make it to the seats are eager as the BJP government enters the final lap of the tenure which is scheduled to end mid-2023.

BJP MLAs, like former Union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, claimed that the party is likely to carry out a Gujarat-style revamp of the Karnataka cabinet by bringing in a completely new set of ministers for its final year of tenure.

The Bommai cabinet currently has four vacancies against a full strength of 34 ministers. There is a strong push from a Belagavi lobby led by former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi for grant of a cabinet position to one of the two Jarkiholi brothers in the BJP or their associates.