Who will get central cabinet berth?

Hubballi: The Modi 2.0 govt had accorded two cabinet berths to North Karnataka. Pralhad Joshi and Suresh Angadi were Union ministers, and Bhagwanth Khuba was inducted after Angadi’s demise. Vijayapura MP Ramesh Jigajinagi was a minister between 2016-19 in Modi 1.0 govt.
This time, Khuba has lost the election and the whole Kalyana Karnataka region has elected Congress candidates. Following this, political enthusiasts are expecting 2 cabinet berths for Kittur Karnataka. Names of Pralhad Joshi, Ramesh Jigajinagi, Jagadish Shettar, Basavaraj Bommai, PC Gaddigoudar and Govind Karjol are making rounds in the discussions going on in political circles. While Shettar, Bommai, and Gaddigoudar are Lingayats, Jigajinagi and Karjol belong to the Dalit community. Joshi is the lone leader from the Brahmin community who has already enjoyed a tenure in the Modi cabinet.


A Joshi supporter commented that Joshi has proved his capability as a Union minister. “His proximity with Modi and Shah will help him continue with the Modi 3.0 cabinet. He has done well in national politics, being a minister and being in charge of Rajasthan,” he mentioned.
A senior BJP leader in Belagavi said that if seniority in the party and winning margin are considered, Shettar will get priority. “Shettar has won with the highest margin of 1.78 lakh votes in NK, even higher than that of Modi, in a neighbouring constituency. He has vast experience as CM and handled various portfolios in the state,” he analysed.
A political analyst noted that having been the recent CM, Bommai could win in Haveri with a margin of only 43,513 votes. “Though he represents the Shiggaon assembly segment that falls under Dharwad Lok Sabha, he could not get the lead for Joshi. Moreover, he is a junior in the party when compared to all the other contenders. However, if high command remembers Shettar’s exit for a year, then it may prefer Bommai to woo Lingayats,” he opined.
BJP workers in Vijayapura and Bagalkot are hopeful that Jigajinagi or Gaddigoudar will be inducted as they are senior MPs. Jigajinagi, a 7-time MP, has openly said if he gets a berth, he will accept it otherwise remain silent. Gaddigoudar has been elected for the 5th consecutive term on par with Joshi.
Hailing from the Vijayapura-Bagalkot region, Karjol has succeeded in distant Chitradurga. His experience as DCM and on other portfolios may also help him to get a berth. “If the party prefers a Dalit leader, then Jigajinagi or Karjol will get it,” predicted a DSS leader in Bagalkot.
Sources in the party say that all six MPs are making efforts to get a berth in the expected Modi 3.0 govt.