Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai to meet PM Narendra Modi, cabinet expansion likely to be discussed

New Delhi: In what would be his first visit to Delhi after taking charge as the Karnataka Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Friday. 

The new Karnataka Chief Minister will also meet Union Cabinet Ministers during his visit to the national capital. During his meeting with PM Modi and other top BJP leaders, the proposed Karnataka cabinet expansion is also likely to be discussed.

Following the leadership change in the Karnataka government, senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa had clarified that he is ready to join the cabinet led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, unlike another senior leader Jagadish Shettar.

Addressing media, Eshwarappa said though his supporters are demanding the post of Deputy Chief Minister for him, he would accept whatever role the party decides for him.

 "I can not say, the earlier posts were enough for me. But, I will obey the decision of our party`s senior leaders. If they ask me to become Deputy Chief Minister or Minister, I will. If they ask me to remain as a legislator, I will accept it. I have no issues," said the BJP leader. 

Meanwhile, citing his seniority former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who had served as Industries Ministers in the previous BS Yediyurappa cabinet, said he will not be part of the new Basavaraj Bommai-led government.

Basavaraj Bommai took oath as the 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka on July 28, two days after the resignation of BS Yediyurappa from the top post. BS Yediyurappa had earlier tendered his resignation as Karnataka Chief Minister, ending weeks of speculation over his continuance on the post.

Ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls, Yediyurappa assured that he shall work to bring the party back to power in the upcoming polls. Outlining his plans about the state`s north region, Bommai had maintained that his top priority is getting the Mahadayi river project completed at the earliest.

Popularly known as the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project in Karnataka, the project was undertaken by the state to improve drinking water supply to the districts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Gadag.

During his maiden visit to Hubballi on Thursday, after being sworn in as Chief Minister, Bommai said that he was quite aware of the issue and knows how to complete the project (Mahadayi). "My priority will be to complete this project at the earliest as soon as the Centre issues the gazette notification in this regard," he said.

In February, the dispute was resolved after the Central government notified the final award of the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal that allocated 13.42 thousand million cubic feet of water to Karnataka, 24 tmcft to Goa and 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra.

Last year, then Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had also asked Karnataka to start work on the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project after gazette notification of the tribunal and necessary forest and wildlife permissions.

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