Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is likely to get consent for cabinet expansion after meeting the party chief JP Nadda on Monday.
Bommai is scheduled to meet Nadda in the first half of the morning hours.
Bommai’s predecessor BS Yediyurappa was thwarted from forming his own cabinet the travails of which he had recounted during his announcement of resignation, terming his tenure as “trial by fire”.
Bommai, BYS’s Lingayat choice and endorsed by the BJP’s top brass, had taken several Cabinet decisions but had flown to Delhi to seek the approval of the central leadership to avoid fissures and bickering over his choice.
Party sources said that the list of ministers will be finalised. Chief minister Bommai had earlier requested the high command to approve the appointment of 12-13 ministers as the state is facing multiple issues in the form of floods, heavy rainfall and the Covid crisis.
Chief minister Bommai, who was expecting a call on Monday, was called again to New Delhi on Sunday within 24 hours of his return from his maiden trip after taking charge.
He had already held a long meeting in an undisclosed location with a BJP top leader who is also a Union Minister in connection with cabinet expansion.
The list is going to be finalised in the meeting with party Chief Nadda and the state cabinet will be expanded in one or two days, sources explain.
Chief minister Bommai had submitted a tentative list of the cabinet ministers to the BJP high command. However, the party top leaders did not give consent and the high command has changed the list, sources said.
It is also learnt that, it has been decided to create more than two Deputy CM posts, and in the first phase 12 to 15 cabinet ministers will take the oath.
Chief minister Bommai is also likely to meet Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi and National Organising Secretary BL Santhosh, both hail from Karnataka.