CHIKKAMAGALURU: The much anticipated cabinet expansion of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government will take place between November 5 and 15 soon after the Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls, said former minister and KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre.
The Congress party is entitled to six vacant berths and the JD(S) one while one more berth has become vacant after BSP MLA N. Mahesh who was minister for primary and secondary education, quit the ministry. The BSP and JD(S) had a pre-poll alliance in the state for the recent Assembly polls and Mr Mahesh was the lone BSP winner while the JD(S) won 37 seats. Mr Mahesh's resignation is however yet to be accepted.
The cabinet expansion has been stalled as the Congress has too many aspirants, the prominent among them being former ministers M.B. Patil and Ramalinga Reddy. "Along with cabinet expansion, appointments to various boards and corporations will also take place," added Mr Khandre in a chat with media persons in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday.
On the upcoming bypolls to two Assembly and three Lok Sabha seats, he said the coalition partners JD(S) and Congress will fight the elections together and asserted that the Congress will not field candidates in Mandya and Shivamogga Lok Sabha seats leaving these to the JD(S).
