Siddaramaiah inducts SR Patil into ministry

Amid discontent among MLCs jostling for ministerial berths, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah expanded his council of ministers by inducting SR Patil, a former leader of opposition, today.

Amid discontent among MLCs jostling for ministerial berths, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah expanded his council of ministers by inducting SR Patil, a former leader of opposition, on Saturday.

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Patil, 64, was administered the oath of office by Governor H R Bhardwaj at the Raj Bhavan.

The induction of Patil, who enjoys a good equation with the chief minister, has apparently angered other MLCs who were in the race for the berth, Congress sources, who refused to be identified, said.

MLCs Veeranna Mathikatti and C Motamma had recently met AICC president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, requesting her to give a berth to any senior member in the cabinet.

Patil, who was leader of the opposition during the tenure of the previous BJP government, is the only member from the Legislative Council to get a ministerial berth.

In the first round of the ministry formation last Saturday, Siddaramaiah had inducted 28 ministers. With Patil's induction, the strength of the council of ministers has reached 30.

There are four more berths to be filled by the chief minister, who is facing much pressure from senior Congress leaders D K Shivakumar, Mathikatti, A Manju and Motamma to induct them into the ministry.