Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday elaborated on the cabinet expansion in the state, confirming that as many as 29 members of the legislative assembly will take their oaths as ministers in the new cabinet. Govind Karjol, KS Eshwarappa, R Ashoka and Sriramulu were the first ones to be sworn-in.
“A total of 29 ministers will take oath to join the Karnataka cabinet today,” Basavaraj said. Meanwhile, he added that he would not have any deputies in the cabinet. “Last time, under the cabinet headed by B S Yediyurappa, we had three Deputy CMs. This time, the High Command has decided not to have any Deputy CM,” he said addressing reporters in Bengaluru. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has hinted that the cabinet will have both experienced and fresh faces, ahead of the swearing-in of the new council of ministers scheduled to be held Wednesday afternoon. “We need both experience and enthusiasm,” he said dismissing speculations that senior leaders will be kept off the list. Bommai added that the 2023 assembly elections were also another factor that influenced the finalisation of the new cabinet.
Expanding the Ministry is seen as the first big challenge before the new Chief Minister, as he will have to navigate through the cabinet formation exercise by maintaining balance between factions within the ruling BJP. There are several aspirants among the party “old guards” and “youngsters”, also there are legislators who had joined BJP after quitting Congress-JD(S) coalition in 2019.
