The Karnataka cabinet would be expanded on January 13 to induct seven legislators as ministers, said state Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Sunday night.
"The BJP high command has permitted to induct seven legislators in the cabinet. They will be sworn-in on January 13 afternoon, as there is 'habba' (Sankranti festival) on January 14," Yediyurappa told news channels in Kannada on return from New Delhi.
He, however, did not disclose names of the legislators to be inducted in the cabinet expansion, as they have to be "finalised and confirmed".
"The list of would-be ministers will be finalised tomorrow (Monday) for taking oath in the afternoon of January 13," added the Chief Minister.
List of would-be ministers will be finalised
In the 34-member ministry, seven posts are vacant to be filled in the third cabinet expansion. During his day-long visit to the national capital on Sunday, Yediyurappa met the ruling BJP's national leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party's national president J.P. Nadda and party's Karnataka unit in-charge Arun Singh.
The cabinet was expanded for the second time on February 6, 2020 when 10 legislators, who defected from Congress and JD-S were inducted after they won in the December 5, 2019 by-elections, caused by their resignations in July 2019, which led to the fall of the 14-month JD-S-Congress coalition government on July 23, 2019 and return of the BJP government on July 26, 2019.
The first cabinet expansion, in which 17 ministers were inducted, took place on August 20, 2019. Yediyurappa was sworn-in as BJP Chief Minister for the third time on July 26, 2019.
