Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who returned to the city from a two-day trip to the national capital on Saturday, said he was hopeful that the party high command would give him suitable directions on Cabinet expansion before the assembly session scheduled on Monday.
However, there was no communication from the party’s Central leadership even by Saturday late night, dashing hopes of a Cabinet expansion before the session, sources said. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister is still giving hope to Ministerial aspirants that if the high command permits he will expand the Cabinet even on Monday morning, before the session commences, sources in the ruling party said.
On directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he met on Friday, Mr. Yediyurappa met BJP national president J P. Nadda on Friday night and discussed the proposed Cabinet expansion/reshuffle. However, Mr. Nadda is learnt to have told the CM that he would consult other leaders and give him suitable directions, which has not happened so far.
Party leaders said it was highly unlikely that an expansion would happen at least before the end of the Assembly session.
