Karnataka Cabinet expansion to take place on February 6; 13 new MLAs to take oath

Bengaluru, Feb 02: The cabinet expansion of the Yediyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka will take place on February 6. with 13 MLAs taking oath of office.

"The cabinet expansion will take place on February 6 with the oath-taking ceremony at the Raj Bhavan at 10.30 AM," he told reporters.

Thirteen MLAs, including 10 who had joined BJP from parties, including Congress and the JD(S), will take oath, he said.

The cabinet expansion is on the cards for nearly two months ever since the BJP won the maximum number of seats in the December 5 2019 bypolls and got a majority in the Karnataka assembly.

Currently there are 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister in the cabinet that has a sanctioned strength of 34. Sixteen berths are still vacant.

Last year, the then assembly speaker had disqualified 17 Congress and JD(S) legislators after they revolted against the coalition government leading to its fall on July 13.

Of them, 13 had contested the bypolls held for 15 assembly seats and barring A H Vishwanath (Hunsur) and M T B Nagaraj (Hoskote) all others emerged triumphant as BJP candidates. Opposition parties have been targeting the BJP and Yediyurappa over the delay in the cabinet expansion, alleging he was weak and that his administration had collapsed.