Karnataka cabinet expansion: CM keeps key portfolios, Araga Jnanendra gets Home

Bommai, a BJP veteran from north Karnataka, ensured ministers from the region got plum posts. Newly inducted loyal party leaders were also handed prominent portfolios. Former deputy chief minister and senior Dalit leader Govind Karajol was given the much sought after Major and Medium Irrigation portfolio.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai kept to himself key portfolios of Finance, Bengaluru Development and Cabinet Affairs as potfolios were allocated to the 29 newly inducted ministers on Saturday. The biggest surprise was Araga Jnanendra, a Sangh Parivar-select, being awarded the Home department.

Bommai, a BJP veteran from north Karnataka, ensured ministers from the region got plum posts. Newly inducted loyal party leaders were also handed prominent portfolios. Former deputy chief minister and senior Dalit leader Govind Karajol was given the much sought after Major and Medium Irrigation portfolio.

KS Eshwarappa, a deputy chief ministerial aspirant, was allotted the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department. R.Ashoka, a senior Vokkalga leader from Bengaluru, was given charge of the Revenue department, excluding Muzarai. B.Sreeramulu, a prominent leader from Valmiki community and a close confidant of Ballari mining baron and former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy was allotted Transport portfolio with Social Tribes Welfare department.

V. Somanna was handed the Housing Ministry and additionally given charge of Infrastructure Development portfolio. Umesh V. Katti, senior leader from Belagavi, was rewarded with Forest, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs ministries.

Senior party leader from the coastal belt S Angara was allotted with Fisheries, Ports and Inland Development. Another party veteran from the coast Kota Srinivas Poojari, an MLC, has been allotted Social Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare department.

J.C. Madhuswamy, who was close to Yediyurappa has been given Minor Irrigation, Law, parliamentary Affairs and Legislation portfolio. Ashwathnarayan C.N., who held the post of deputy chief minister in Yediyurappa government and played a prominent role in bringing BJP into power in the state has been given Higher Education, IT and BT, Science and Technology, Skill Development ministries.

C.C.Patil, a staunch follower of Yediyurappa was given plum Public Works Department (PWD). Anand Singh, a leader Vijayanagar district has been given Ecology and Environment. Prabhu Chouhan has been allotted Animal Husbandry as per his wishes.

Murugesh Nirani, who was a chief ministerial aspirant, is allotted Large and Medium Industries. Aravind Hebbar Shivaram was given the Labour department. S.T.Somashekar has continued in Co-operation, B.C.Patil was given Agriculture portfolios. Bhyrathi Basavaraj, a prominent leader from Bengaluru has been allotted with Urban Development. K. Sudhakar was allotted Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education. K.Gopalaiah has been given Excise.

Shashiikala Jolle, the lone woman representative in cabinet is allotted with Muzrai, Haj and Wakf. MTB Nagaraj, the richest minister in BJP has been allocated with Municipal Administration, Small Scale Industries, Public Sector Industries.

Narayanagowda has been given Sericulture, Youth Empowerment and Sports; B.C. Nagesh, the new face in the cabinet was allotted Primary and Secondary Education and Sakala portfolio was held by senior BJP leader S.Sureshkumar. V.Sunilkumar, another new face and party loyalist has been awarded the Energy portfolio which was sought by many senior BJP leaders. He has also been given charge of Kannada and Culture.

Achar Halappa Basappa was given Mines and Geology, Women and Child Development and Disabled and Senior Citizens Empowerment portfolios. Shankar B. Patil Munenakoppa, another new face in the cabinet was given Handloom and Textile Department, Sugarcane Development and Directorate of Sugar.

Muniratna, a leader from Bengaluru who fought a long legal battle after joining BJP has been given Horticulture and Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics department.

With inputs from PTI