The BJP after successfully ensuring the smooth exit of former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa has managed to expand the cabinet and allocate cabinet portfolios without giving any room for controversy and dissent.
The party has also managed to keep Yediyurappa happy without giving in fully to his pulls and pressures. Cabinet berth was denied to his son BJP Vice-President B.Y. Vijayendra, who was allegedly a shadow of his father. At the same time, his loyalists were kept out of the cabinet, who went out of the way to support him at the time of Yediyurappa's exit.
BJP allocates portfolios to ministers and how
Anand Singh, BJP MLA from Vijayanagar was the only person to raise his voice on portfolio allocation. He has been given Ecology, Environment and Tourism ministry. "It is painful. I had expected a better portfolio. Will meet Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and express my concerns," he said.
B. Sriramulu, a powerful backward class leader, is also believed to be upset with the allocated portfolio.
However, Bommai explained that he has spoken to Anand Singh in this regard as he is a good friend. "The cabinet is being expanded to ensure changes in the administration. All are allocated with good portfolios," he maintained.
The party and Bommai have also ensured the political management by allocating cabinet berths to most of the migrant MLAs (those who resigned from Congress and JD(S) to join BJP). At the same time the party gave plum posts to newly inducted cabinet ministers without disturbing senior party leaders.
Expressing happiness over cabinet portfolio allocation, K.S. Eshwarappa, one among the top leaders in the state, said, "The portfolios are given as per the strengths and wishes of the candidates. The team is ready to perform and get results."
Govind Karajol, minister for Water Resources, explained that his portfolio was earlier held by Chief Minister Bommai and he would take all guidance from him to deliver. C.C. Patil, the minister for PWD however said that he did not expect to get a prestigious portfolio.
The party is gearing up to face long-pending zilla panchayat and taluka panchayat elections which will be held shortly in the state. The BJP, with the cabinet expansion and portfolio distribution, is also preparing the ground for the next state assembly and Lok Sabha elections, party sources explained.
List of all portfolios given to K'taka ministers
The much sought-after portfolios such as Home, Mines & Geology, Energy, Education, have gone to the newly inducted ministers Araga Jnanendra, Achar Halappa Basappa, V Sunilkumar, B.C.Nagesh, Shankar Patil Munenakoppa.
Araga Jnanendra, a four-time MLA from Thirthahalli constituency who was dropped by former chief minister Yediyurappa, has now been awarded with the prestigious Home Ministry which is regarded as the second most powerful position after the chief minister.
V. Sunil Kumar, the minister for Energy, is a three time MLA from Karkala constituency. Achar Halappa Basappa, a first time MLA from Yalaburga constituency, got the Mines and Geology ministry.
B.C. Nagesh, who is mostly seen in saffron attire, is a second-time MLA from Tipatur constituency in Tumkur district. Known as a dedicated worker of the Sangh and the party, he was allotted the Education portfolio previously held by veteran Sureshkumar, who was dropped from the cabinet.
Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, a two time legislator from Navalagunda constituency, has been given the Handlooms and Textiles ministry much to the chagrin of Aravind Bellad, a chief minister aspirant.
- Basavaraj Bommai, CM: DPAR, Finance, Intelligence from Home, Cabinet Affairs, Bengaluru Development and all un-allocated portfolios
- Govind Makthappa Karajol: Major and Medium Irrigation
- KS Eshwarappa: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department
- R Ashoka: Revenue (excluding Muzarai)
- B Sreeramulu: Transport, ST Welfare
- V Somanna: Housing, Infrastructure Development
- Umesh Vishwanah Katti: Forest, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs
- Angara. S: Fisheries, Ports and Inland Transport
- JC Madhu Swamy: Minor Irrigation, Law , Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation
- Aaraga Jnadendra: Home Department (excluding Intelligence)
- Dr Ashwath Narayan. CN: Higher Education, IT & BT, Science and Technology, Skill Development
- Chandrakantagouda Channappagouda Patil: Public Works Department
- Anand Singh: Ecology and Environment, Tourism
- Kota Shrinivas Poojari: Social Welfare, Backward Classes Welfare
- Prabhu Chauhan: Animal Husbandry
- Murugesh Rudrappa Nirani: Large & Medium Industries
- Arabail Hebbar Shivaram: Labour
- ST Somashekhar: Co-operation
- BC Patil: Agriculture
- BA Basavaraja (Byrati): Urban Development (including KUWSDB & KUIDFC, excluding Bengaluru Development, BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BMRDA, BMRCL and Directorate of Town Planning, Urban Development Department)
- Dr K Sudhakar: Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education
- K Gopalaiah: Excise from Finance Department
- Jolle Shashikala Annasaheb: Muzarai, Haj & Wakf
- N Nagaraju (MTB): Municipal Administration, Small Scale Industries, Public Sector Industries
- Narayanagowda: Sericulture, Youth Empowerment and Sports
- BC Nagesh: Primary and Secondary Education and Sakala
- V Sunil Kumar: Energy, Kannada and Culture
- Achar Halappa Basappa: Mines and Geology from Commerce and Industries Department, Women and Child Development & Disabled & Senior Citizens Empowerment
- Shankar B Patil Munenakoppa: Handloom and Textile Department from C&I Department, Sugarcane Development and Directorate of Sugar.
- Munirathna: Horticulture and Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics Department
(With inputs from IANS)
