AMN / BANGALURU
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy allocated portfolios to the ministers in his new cabinet last night. Mr Kumaraswamy has retained the key portfolio of Finance and gave Home to his deputy G Parameshwara from the Congress.
The Chief Minister is also keeping with him the Energy portfolio which was the bone of contention between the two parties.
Mr Kumaraswamy’s brother HD Revanna will head the Public Works ministry.
Senior Congressman RV Deshpande, who was Industries Minister in the earlier Congress government, has been given Revenue and Skill Development. Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar also has two portfolios — Irrigation and Medical Education.
KJ George, who was Home Minister in the Congress government and later given the charge of Bengaluru, has been given the portfolios of Industries and also IT and BT — important areas for India’s IT capital Bengaluru.
The only woman in the cabinet, National award winning actress Jayamala, will handle the ministries of Women and Child Development and also Kannada and Culture.
The allotment of portfolios comes amidst dissent in the Congress with many leaders unhappy at being left out of the cabinet so far. Among the notable omissions is MB Patil, former Irrigation Minister who spearheaded the push for recommending minority status for Lingayats.
Former Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who has not been inducted as a minister, today issued a statement denying that he had been approached by the BJP. HK Patil and Roshan Baig are others who did not make the cut. The Congress still has six Cabinet berths which may help keep hopes alive and serious dissidence at bay.