Bangalore : Differences within the state BJP came in the open on Tuesday when Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda and state BJP president K S Eshwarappa made contradictory statements over the Cabinet expansion.

While Eshwarappa said in an affirmative tone that the Cabinet expansion will happen in the first week of November, Gowda refuted it, rather indirectly, stating that he had other important issues to address before taking up expansion.

Speaking to reporters after participating in Valmiki Jayanti programme at the party office here, Eshwarappa said that the much-awaited Cabinet expansion will be held in the first week of November.

A decision in this regard has been taken in the core committee meeting and the expansion will happen, he maintained.

He said that the nominations to various state run boards and corporations will be done after the Cabinet expansion.

However, Gowda after participating in a similar programme at the Vidhana Soudha said that the Cabinet expansion was not in his scheme of things in near future.

Our priority is to tackle the on-going power crisis, then we have to appoint a new Lokayukta and take action on illegal mining.

After all this, we will take up Cabinet expansion, Gowda said.

At present, there are seven vacancies in the Cabinet and the party is eager to fill at least four berths immediately.

But lack of consensus on the names being suggested has become a major hindrance.

While Eshwarappa wants Chikamagalur MLA C T Ravi as minister, Yeddyurappa is opposing it as he is backing D N Jeevaraj who is also from the same district.

This apart, there are also differences over sharing of vacant Cabinet berths.

Eshwarappa on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of Sriramulu’s come-back as a minister.

Under no circumstances, Sriramulu will be made minister as his name has appeared in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining, Eshwarappa said when scribes asked if the party will heed to the demand of Sriramulu.

The party took resignation of Yeddyurappa because he was indicted by the Lokayukta.

Sriramulu is also indicted in the report.

How can you expect party to adopt different yardsticks? Eshwarappa shot back.

When asked about the status of Sriramulu’s resignation, he expressed confidence that the former would withdraw his resignation soon