Cabinet rejig likely on Jan 13: BSY after Delhi meet with Shah, Nadda

Earlier in the day, asked about the reshuffle, Yediyurappa told reporters in Delhi, “The party leaders will give good news soon. I have discussed the political situation in the state. The party leaders asked me to send a list of party candidates to Belagavi Lok Sabha, Basavakalyana and Maski Assembly bypolls.”

The state, which can have a total of 34 ministers, has 27 now. Besides representatives from different factions and the old guards, the Chief Minister would have to accommodate some of those who entered the Assembly through recent bypolls. The aspirants include BJP MLCs A H Vishwanath, R Shankar and M T B Nagaraj, whose resignation as MLAs in the previous Cong-JD(S) combine brought the government down and paved the way for the BJP coming to power, said sources. As many as 11 out of the 17 Congress and JDS rebels have already been inducted in the cabinet.

Sources close to the Chief Minister said there have been fresh moves by his rivals in the party to “unseat” him. However, the central leadership, sources said, was of the view that the 78-year-old is the best bet for the party as there is no one else in the Karnataka unit to match his popularity.

Yediyurappa’s son B Y Vijayendra had accompanied him to Delhi. While some of Yediyurappa’s rivals had labelled him “super CM”, the central leadership has appointed him as vice-president of state BJP.

While his rivals have been mobilising leaders against the veteran, he has been playing his cards carefully. Recently, when the central leadership stalled his plan to grant backward castes status to Lingayats, the community he belongs to and his key support base, the Chief Minister told the media that he would do it after the central leadership gives a green signal.

Meanwhile, a section of party leaders are talking about the possibility of a leadership change. The BJP leadership, they argue, could make some offers to Yediyurappa, including a suitable position for him and a Union Minister berth for one of his sons, in exchange of him allowing a change of guard.

“No clear plans have been drawn up yet about a leadership change. There has to be a plan to rehabilitate Yediyurappa before anything is done since he is a mass leader,” a BJP legislator stated two months ago.

Recently, BJP in-charge Singh had stated that no leadership change is on the cards, but party MLA Basavaraj Patil Yatnal had said the central leadership is considering a change of guard. On Sunday, Yatnal said big changes are likely after Sankranti but did not elaborate.