CM Bommai retains Bengaluru, announces district in-charge ministers

The names of at least two senior ministers in the cabinet, R Ashok and JC Madhuswamy, was left out from the list.

Bengaluru Karnataka chief minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai on Monday announced the list of district in-charge ministers for 28 out of the 31 districts in the state. The CM retained Bengaluru, continuing the trend set by his predecessor as well as trying to contain the already growing divide within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai speaks during the winter session in the state Assembly. (Agencies)

The names of at least two senior ministers in the cabinet, R Ashok and JC Madhuswamy, was left out from the list.

“They were left out maybe because they are seniors. There are other departments like law and order, minor irrigation, law and parliamentary affairs. They may not have the time to focus on this,” said a BJP legislator, requesting not to be named.

R Ashok is the minister for revenue while JC Madhuswamy is the minister for law, parliamentary affairs and minor irrigation. Both leaders are considered to be close to BS Yediyurappa though there is no indication yet to suggest that they were left out solely because of this reason alone.The list comes almost six months after Bommai replaced BS Yediyurappa for the top job in July last year.

There were several contenders for the Bengaluru portfolio that include V Somanna, Dr CN Ashwath Narayan and Ashok among others as the capital city is considered a cash cow and the biggest district portfolio in the state.

Narayan was made in-charge of Ramanagara while health minister Dr K Sudhakar was made in-charge of Bengaluru Rural.Yediyurappa too had retained Bengaluru to contain the conflict between his cabinet.

While some leaders were happy with the decision, the allocation of districts is unlikely to sit well with several others. Mainly since many legislators who were dislodged from their home districts where holding the to build their political might as well as to make a statement for rivals challenging their positions.

N Nagaraju (MTB) was made in-charge of Chikkaballapur when he had specifically demanded Kolar.

Similarly, KS Eshwarappa, who is one of the senior BJP leaders, was made in-charge of Chikmagaluru district while he sought the Shivamogga portfolio.

Yediyurappa and Eshwarappa share a tempestuous relationship and the two have locked horns in the district over their long political careers with the latter also claiming to be in the race for the top job.

Though it remains unclear on who helped Bommai allocate the districts, the CM is believed to be acting on the orders of the BJPs high command and has often been termed a “puppet” in the past as well.

Anand Singh, who was already unhappy with the environment, ecology and tourism portfolio, was made in-charge of Koppal district while he believes he was instrumental in the carving out of the newest Vijayanagara district from Ballari.

Shashikala Jolle was made in-charge of Vijanagara, much to the dismay of supporters of Singh who had raised their objections to the allocations.