Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday said he will expand his Cabinet on February 6, PTI reported. Thirteen MLAs, including 10 previously disqualified legislators who won bye-elections in December, will take oath.
“The Cabinet expansion will take place on February 6 with the oath-taking ceremony at the Raj Bhavan at 10.30 am,” Yediyurappa told media persons in Bengaluru, News18 reported.
The Bharatiya Janata Party government strengthened its majority in the Karnataka Assembly after the party won 12 out of the 15 seats that voted in bye-elections held on December 5. The BJP needed to win at least six seats to stay in power.
The bye-polls were held to fill 15 of the 17 vacancies created by the mass resignations of rebel Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs in July, which led to the fall of the HD Kumaraswamy-led government. Twelve of the 15 constituencies were earlier held by the Congress and three by the Janata Dal (Secular). The former allies – Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) – contested separately.
The BJP won in Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapur, Yeshwanthpur, Mahalakshmi Layout, Athani, KR Puram and Krishnarajpet. The Congress won the Hunsur and Shivajinagar seats, while independent candidate Sharath Kumar Bachegowda won the Hosakote constituency.
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