No proposal to change Karnataka CM, says Pralhad Joshi after Eshwarappa’s comments on Nirani

Eshwarappa, the rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister, had said that Nirani, the industries minister, will become the chief minister soon.

Murugesh R Nirani (Photo: Facebook/MurugeshRNirani)

Days after senior BJP leader and Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa referred to his cabinet colleague Murugesh Nirani as a potential Chief Minister candidate, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi clarified that there is no proposal before the BJP to change the state’s chief minister.

Eshwarappa, the rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister, had said that Nirani, the industries minister, will become the chief minister soon. Recently speaking at an event in Bilagi Assembly constituency represented by Nirani, Eshwarappa had said, “I don’t know when it will happen, but Nirani has the capacity to be the Chief Minister and he will work for backward communities and the poor.” He added, however, that the current chief minister, Basavaraj Bommai, would not be replaced.

However, Nirani clarified that Bommai will complete the full term. “I respect Eshwarappa’s trust and love for me, in that sense he had said I will become Chief Minister. But as of now, Bommai will be our leader and serve as CM till 2023 and finish his term.”

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Former chief minister BS Yediyurappa too made light of Eshwarappa’s comments, calling it a ‘joke.’

Putting an end to the rumours around leadership change in the state, Joshi said “There is no proposal before the party now. I am saying this as a representative of the Central Government. Chief Minister will not change. Basavaraj Bommai will remain in the post, and no one should talk about the change of leadership.”

The comments by Eshwarappa, a tall influential leader of the party, have heightened speculation that the factional fissures within the BJP in the state remain far from being sealed up ahead of the Assembly elections in 2023.

Nirani, a businessman-politician, is a member of the key Panchamasali sub-sect in the Lingayat community and had made multiple trips to Delhi to meet top BJP leaders in July to push his candidature for the CM’s post after it became clear that then chief minister Yediyurappa was going to be replaced. However, the central leadership chose Bommai for the top post.

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Meanwhile, there are reports that a restructuring of the Karnataka government on the lines of what happened in Gujarat may be in order. Reacting to the reports on the cabinet reshuffle, Bommai on Monday said that the initiative of expanding the cabinet will be taken only after consulting the top leadership in Delhi.

“Any initiative on ministry expansion would be taken after consulting the party’s top leadership. Right now, we are engaged in the Legislative Council poll battle and preparations for the Belagavi session of the legislature. As for ministry expansion, the future course of action would be based on suggestions from our senior leadership,” Bommai told reporters at Hubballi airport.

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