Deputy chief minister K.S. Eshwarappa revealed on Sunday that the portfolios of two or three ministers in the state cabinet would be reshuffled shortly. He did not divulge more details on why a reshuffle was being resorted to when Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had recently stated in Belgaum that there would be no reshuffle. Later, while addressing the valedictory function of BJP Yuva Morcha executive committee at Panth Balekundri near Belgaum, Mr Eshwarappa said the BJP has ‘shut’ the mouths of some ministers and MLAs who had tried to put the party in a crisis.
“We know how to deal with such rebels,'' he said. He claimed that there were no more differences in the party and blamed the media for reports suggesting this. He also said he was not aware of the formation of a group of 50-60 MLAs led by B.S. Yeddyurappa and Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar a few months ago to oust D.V. Sadananda Gowda from the chief minister’s post.