We are preparing for Rajya Sabha, Legislative Council elections, Mr Bommai said. (file)
Hubli:
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that the BJP is concentrating on the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections and held a core committee meeting in this regard.
He also said that the cabinet expansion will also be done following the instructions of the party high command.
On reaching Hubballi, Mr. Bommai told reporters, “We are currently preparing for the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections. Just yesterday, we had a core committee meeting in this regard. Seniors are monitoring it.”
The biennial elections to Karnataka’s four Rajya Sabha seats and two graduates and teachers’ constituencies of the state legislative council will be held on June 10 and 13, respectively.
Also, the biennial elections for the seven seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council will be held on June 3.
The Chief Minister said that during his visit to Delhi, he had said that after the Supreme Court’s decision on holding elections to local bodies, many governments may announce elections and many decisions are likely to be taken in this regard.
The reply was in the context of local body elections in some places, including the Bengaluru civic body, which is likely to be announced soon.
Regarding the expansion of the state cabinet, Mr Bommai said that he will once again contact the party high command over phone and based on the instructions, the cabinet reshuffle can be done.
BJP sources said that out of 34 sanctioned posts lying vacant in Karnataka, five are ministerial posts and several legislators of the ruling BJP are keen to become ministers.
When asked whether former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s son and BJP state vice-president BY Vijayendra could enter the Legislative Council and become a minister, he said everything was left to the party high command.
On Cooperation Minister ST Somashekar meeting JD(S) MLA from Chamundeshwari constituency GT Deve Gowda to get a foothold in the old Mysore region, the Chief Minister said that many changes take place in politics.
To a question on opposition parties accusing him of being a weak chief minister, Bommai said, “It is only you (journalists) who say this. We resolved the hijab issue, the azaan issue and the halal issue amicably. There was also the azaan issue.” . Resolved on the basis of Supreme Court guidelines. Hijab case was also resolved as per the directions of the court.” “We were able to resolve disputes within the framework of the law and as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court. We did our duty properly,” the chief minister said.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)