The Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa may have to appoint three deputies - as per the directions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command - from among the 17 ministers who were inducted on August 20.
For the first time in the history of Karnataka, the state will see three deputy CMs. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked Yediyurappa to induct the ministers from Scheduled Caste (SC), Vokkaliga, Lingayat and Kuruba communities.
The instruction was passed on to BSY through BJP national working president JP Nadda during the Karnataka CM's visit to Delhi on Friday. It is being speculated that the move, which is against Yediyurappa's will, is to clear the controversy around the state cabinet having a majority of ministers from CM's community (Lingayat).
According to reports, the BJP has shortlisted Govind Karjol from Scheduled Caste, CN Ashwathnarayan and R Ashok from Vokkaliga community and KS Eshwarappa from Kuruba community for the deputy CM's post. From the Lingayat community, the party has suggested names of Jagadish Shettar, Laxman Savadi and Basavaraj Bommai.
There is already a political rebellion happening inside the saffron party as many of the state party leaders are eyeing for top portfolios, including Home, Revenue and energy. With the rumours of caste politics, the central leadership is working towards making the party leadership strong by giving justice to everyone, rather than linking the party power to just Yediyurappa, who is seen as the driving force of the BJP in Karnataka.
