Karnataka Ministry expanded

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expanded his coalition Ministry by inducting five new Ministers, taking its total strength to 34.

Three Ministers from the JD (S) and two from the BJP were inducted at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of Raj Bhavan yesterday. Governor T N Chaturvedi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new Ministers.

The new Ministers include H S Mahadev Prasad, Alangur Srinivas and G T Deve Gowda from the JD (S) and S Shivanna and Appu Pattanashetty from the BJP. The induction of the five new Ministers marked the third expansion of the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition Government, which assumed power during February 2006.

Speaking to reporters after the simple and brief swearing-in-ceremony, Kumaraswamy regretted that the coalition Government had not been able to accommodate a woman in the Ministry. “I am pained that I have not been able to accommodate a woman in the Ministry on account of the restrictions on the size of the Ministry. Though we have not given any representation to any woman in the Ministry, the Government has chalked out a lot of programmes for the welfare of women”, he said.

When asked why he had not inducted a Minister from the minority community to the ministerial berth vacated by Zameer Ahmed Khan recently, Kumaraswamy said a member from the minority community will be given a prominent post in the party. He said Labour Minister Iqbal Ansari was already representing the minority community in the coalition cabinet.

The portfolios for the newly inducted ministers will be announced shortly, Kumaraswamy said. To a question, the Chief Minister did not rule out a reshuffle of portfolios among the Ministers.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who was also present on the occasion, promised to provide representation to women during the reconstitution of the Ministry after he takes over as Chief Minister from Kumaraswamy eight months later. “As I have already declared, about six to seven Ministers will be roped in for party work during the reconstitution, providing scope for induction of new faces including women”, he said.

Thursday’s cabinet expansion had also triggered dissension among BJP MLAs aspiring for ministerial berths. BJP MLA from Mysore H S Shankarlinge Gowda told reporters that he was thoroughly dissatisfied with the party leadership for ignoring him during the expansion exercise. “I have been with the party for twenty years. This is my third term as MLA. Yet, I have been ignored”, he lamented.

Shankarlinge Gowda said the party had offered him the post of Chairperson of a state-run Board. “But, I have decided to reject the offer”, he said.

Similiarly, another three-time MLA from the BJP Araga Jnanendra has also decided to reject the offer to head a state-run Board. Party sources said Jnanendra, a three-time MLA from Shimoga, had declined to accept the offer to become the chairperson of a state-run Board.