Even though the State BJP is crossing its fingers about inclusion of names from Karnataka to Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s would-be Cabinet, speculation is ripe that only two will be inducted into the Cabinet on Monday. Senior BJP leader and sixth time MP from Bangalore South HN Ananth Kumar and lone woman MP from Udupi and Chikkamagalur Shobha Karandlaje's names are doing rounds to be included into the Union Cabinet from Karnataka.
A source in the BJP told The Pioneer that senior leader from Karnataka Ananth Kumar and Shobha Karandlaje’s names might be considered looking at some parameters of selection. He said, “We can’t read our leader Modi’s mind. But at this juncture, two from Karnataka can make it to Union Cabinet.”
Sources in the BJP said the list of candidates in the reckoning for a position in the Union Ministry has narrowed down to veteran BJP leader Kumar and Karandlaje.
“The party is verifying the credentials of Karandlaje, who was a Minister in the BJP Governments in Karnataka between 2008 and 2013. Karandlaje, the only woman candidate to have won from the 28 lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, is likely to be given a Minister of State portfolio,” the source added. Karandlaje, a close aide of lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa, hails from the RSS background and there is a pressure from Yeddyurappa after he voluntarily decided to opt out from the race. Few days back, Yeddyurappa wrote a letter to Modi opting out of the race to work for the State BJP, indicating that he wants to take control of the party in Karnataka.
According to BJP sources the move to induct Karandlaje into the Union Ministry is being seen as an effort to address a wide cross-section of society in the State including women, the Vokkaliga community to
which Karandlaje belongs, the coastal districts where she hails from apart from assuaging Yeddyurappa supporters.
Initially, as many as 12 BJP leaders from Karnataka, including Rajya Sabha members, were known to be vying for positions in the Narendra Modi Cabinet.