Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday allocated portfolios to 19 ministers inducted into his cabinet on August 3, ending weeks of uncertainty over their responsibilities a day before the state legislature’s monsoon session.
The allocation followed discussions between Shivakumar and the Congress high command. The chief minister had visited the national capital on Sunday to meet AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal.
Shivakumar retains Finance, Law and key departments
The sanctioned strength of Karnataka’s council of ministers is 34, including the chief minister. With 33 ministers now in place, one berth remains vacant. The cabinet has no woman minister, despite pressure within the party to ensure representation for women.
Shivakumar has retained Finance, Cabinet Affairs, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Law, and other unallocated departments.
Major portfolio changes in irrigation, forest and welfare
Among the major changes, Ramalinga Reddy has been shifted from Major and Medium Irrigation to Forest, Ecology and Environment after seeking a change of portfolio. N Chaluvarayaswamy has taken over Water Resources, including Major and Medium Irrigation.
{{/usCountry}}Among the major changes, Ramalinga Reddy has been shifted from Major and Medium Irrigation to Forest, Ecology and Environment after seeking a change of portfolio. N Chaluvarayaswamy has taken over Water Resources, including Major and Medium Irrigation.
{{/usCountry}}KH Muniyappa has been moved from Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to Social Welfare. U T Khader, who was earlier assigned Health and Family Welfare, has been given additional charge of Minority Welfare, Haj and Wakf.
B Nagendra, who is facing allegations in connection with the alleged embezzlement of funds in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, has been assigned Planning and Statistics. The opposition BJP has been demanding his resignation over the case.
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Five ministers retain existing portfolios
Five ministers have retained their portfolios: B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan (Housing), Shivaraj Tangadagi (Backward Classes Welfare and Kannada and Culture), Madhu Bangarappa (Primary and Secondary Education), Santosh Lad (Labour and Employment), and S S Mallikarjun (Mines and Geology and Horticulture).
Other ministers who continue with their existing portfolios include deputy chief minister G Parameshwara (Revenue and Sports), Priyank Kharge (Home, Information Technology and Biotechnology, and e-Governance), K J George (Energy and Tourism), M B Patil (Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development), Satish Jarkiholi (Public Works), Krishna Byre Gowda (Greater Bengaluru Development), Eshwar Khandre (Rural Development and Panchayat Raj), Yathindra Siddaramaiah (Urban Development), Byrathi Suresh (Transport) and Sharan Prakash Patil (Medical Education and Skill Development).
The newly inducted ministers have been assigned portfolios including Agriculture to Narendra Swamy; Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to Rizwan Arshad; Municipal Administration to H C Balakrishna; Excise to K M Shivalingegowda; Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology to Dr Ajay Singh; ST Welfare to T Raghumurthy; Muzrai, Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport to K S Basavanthappa; Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises to Vijayanand Kashappanavar; and Sugar and Textiles to Rudrappa Lamani.
Laxman Savadi has been assigned Cooperation, Basavaraj Raya Reddy Higher Education and C S Puttaranga Shetty Animal Husbandry and Sericulture.
Also read: Karnataka CM Shivakumar expands cabinet, raises presence of Muslims and Dalits
No woman minister in expanded cabinet
The allocation comes amid dissatisfaction within the Congress, with several legislators who were seeking ministerial berths expressing displeasure after being left out. The absence of a woman minister is also expected to add to pressure on Shivakumar to fill the remaining berth with a woman.
The government also appointed Congress MLA A S Ponnanna as political secretary to Shivakumar with Cabinet Minister status.
“A S Ponnanna, Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Virajpet Assembly Constituency, is hereby appointed as the Political Secretary to the chief minister with immediate effect and until further orders, and is accorded the status of a Cabinet Minister,” the notification said.
Also read: Amid taunts over no woman in Karnataka Cong cabinet, change in offing as Shivakumar heads to Delhi
Ponnanna had been seeking a ministerial position and had expressed displeasure after being excluded from the cabinet expansion.
The latest allocation follows Shivakumar’s appointment as chief minister on June 3, when he was sworn in along with 13 ministers after Siddaramaiah resigned on May 28.
Asked about making space for at least two more legislators in the cabinet, Shivakumar on Monday was quoted as saying by PTI, “For all those things, including giving ministerial posts, the Assembly session has to end. No discussion on that now. Only portfolio allocation is happening now, and it will be done before the session.”