CM keeps 11 portfolios including finance; UT Khader, DKS get double portfolios

Bengaluru, Jun 8: Two days after Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy expanded his cabinet by inducting 25 ministers, portfolios have been allocated. The sharing of portfolios was a sticky issue due to which cabinet expansion was delayed by two weeks.

Mr Kumaraswamy has kept 11 portfolios for himself --- including Finance which had been a bone of contention between coalition partners JD(S) and Congress. He will also be in charge of Energy, Infrastructure Development, Information and Public Relations and the Intelligence wing that comes under the Home ministry --- a portfolio that has gone to Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara of the Congress, who has also been made in-charge of Bengaluru.

Mr Kumaraswamy's brother HD Revanna will head the Public Works ministry.

U T Khader, the only Congress MLA from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district, has been given two portfolios - Housing, and city corporations including BBMP and subjects pertaining to Bengaluru city, urban development authorities, KUIDFC and urban development department.

Zameer Ahmed Khan has been given food and civil supplies and consumer affairs department, and also minority welfare and Wakf.

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.