Coalition Ministry expansion in Karnataka on Wednesday – Chief Minister

After burying their differences over the controversial Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), the JD (S)-BJP coalition Government in Karnataka has decided to go ahead with its much-delayed cabinet expansion on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after participating in a co-ordination committee meeting of the coalition partners in Bangalore yesterday, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the two parties had agreed to carry out the four-and-a-half month-old coalition Government’s first Cabinet expansion on Wednesday.

Both the parties are expected to add four members each to their ministerial team during the expansion.

Though each coalition partner is entitled to having 17 ministers each in the 34-member ministry, the BJP had inducted eleven ministers while the JD (S) had brought in nine ministers soon after the H D Kumaraswamy-led Government was formed in February this year.

But, intense lobbying and threat of rebellion had forced the Government to postpone the Cabinet expansion several times in the last few months.

Though the BJP has kept its list of Ministers to be included during Wednesday’s exercise under wraps, the JD (S) sources did not rule out the possibility of Chief Minister Kumaraswamy roping in his brother and former Minister H D Revanna into his ministerial team. Former Deputy Chief Minister M P Prakash is also widely expected to return to the Government.