B S Yediyurappa

Yediyurappa, who is completing two years in office on July 26, visited Delhi last week, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President J P Nadda.

BJP has gone in for Generational Change in Council of Ministers and CMs, Congress has so far desisted from it

The meeting came at a time political circles are abuzz with speculations of Yediyurappa being replaced as the chief minister.

During the meetings, Yediyurappa is expected to seek the Central government's nod for the Mekedatu dam project across river Cauvery.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Monday had announced that SSLC board exams will be held on July 19 and 22, amid fears of the possible third-wave of COVID-19.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the committee, he said with regard to opening schools and colleges, the committee has suggested giving priority to students and teachers in vaccination, to start classes in a phased manner by reopening colleges for students above 18 years to begin with, after vaccinating them.

Though it is the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states like Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh who are on target here, this open show of rebellion is also a challenge to PM Modi and Home Minister Shah’s authority.

In a gesture signifying that things are in his favour, Yediyurappa, who did not make any comments on what transpired at the meeting on the leadership issue, flashed the victory sign as he departed from the state BJP office.

The government had last week issued fresh guidelines that extended the COVID induced lockdown measures in 11 districts, which have a high positivity rate, till June 21, while some relaxations were announced in the rest of the state from June 14.

"People need to respond for their own good. If they don't heed then we may have to take stringent measures. If required and if necessity arises, we will impose lockdown," B S Yediyurappa told reporters in Bidar.

In his appeal, Yediyurappa has contended that no prior sanction to prosecute him was taken and the high court ought to have considered this fact.

Among the new Ministers, Umesh Katti gets the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs while S Angara has been given Fisheries, Ports and Inland Transport.

Shah was speaking at the inauguration of police quarters in Bengaluru, besides virtual inauguration of the Indian Reserved Battalion at Vijayapura and the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) here.

The extension has five new stations beyond Yelachenahalli Metro Station on the currently operational line — Konanakunte Cross, Doddakallasandra, Vajarahalli, Thalaghattapura and Silk Institute.

The ruling party legislators have expressed serious reservations about MLCs not elected by the people being made Ministers, lack of representation to certain regions,with most Ministers still from Bengaluru and Belagavi districts and also on their "seniority or sacrifice" not being considered.

Though he has indicated that seven new faces will be inducted, the Chief Minister has maintained suspense over any of the incumbent ministers being dropped from the cabinet.

The Chief Minister on Wednesday had said the BJP central leadership will take a call on the much awaited cabinet expansion, amid renewed buzz that the exercise was likely this month.

The statement of the chief minister amid speculations that the cabinet expansion or reshuffle was likely this month, is seen as an indication of the process getting further delayed.

Ruling out leadership change, Yediyurappa too had recently asserted that he will remain in the post of CM for the remaining over two year period and complete the term, and there was no confusion regarding this within the ruling BJP.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, after BJP General Secretary in-charge of the state Arun Singh made it clear that there are no issues for the next two-and-half years and Yediyurappa will continue as Chief Minister, such questions do not arise at all.