Seven new ministers are inducted in Karnataka's cabinet during an oath-taking ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, January 13. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced a list of ministers to be inducted and the list was sent to the Governor Vajubhai Vala for further approval.
Governor Vajubhai Vala administers the oath of office and secrecy to the new members who will be inducted to the Cabinet at 3.50 pm at the Raj Bhavan's Glass House. BJP general secretary in-charge of state Arun Singh is in Bengaluru also attended the swearing-in.
The new ministers inducted in Karnataka Cabinet are:
The Karnataka BJP decided to induct seniors such as eight-time MLA Umesh Katti and six-time MLA S Angara. Several other serving ministers were in a flap for being sidelined as the part was only welcoming newcomers on board. The cabinet currently has 27 members, and seven berths are vacant.
- Hukkeri legislator Umesh Katti,
- Bilgi MLA Murugesh Nirani,
- Members of Legislative Council MTB Nagaraju
- CP Yogeeshwar
- R Shankar alias Pendulum Shankar,
- Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavalli
- Sullia MLA S Angara.
This is the third expansion of the cabinet since Yediyurappa assumed charge in July 2019 after the collapse of the Congress-JDS government in the wake of a revolt by 17 MLAs of the coalition partners.
All you need to know about the 7 new ministers
During his short interaction with media prior to the oath ceremony, Yediyurappa said that he had sent seven names - Umesh Katti, Aravind Limbavali, M.T.B. Nagaraj, R. Shankar, C.P. Yogeshwara, Murugesh Nirani and S. Angara.
According to the sources, Katti had been picked up by the party leaders under Lingayat quota, Limbavali had been rewarded for his planning and execution in toppling the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, C.P. Yogeshwara too got his berth as a reward for working in tandem with Yediyurappa and his team to topple the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka.
Nagaraj and Shankar who had defected along with 17 legislators in 2019, were almost certain to make it to Cabinet. Shankar had not only defected but also allowed the ruling BJP to field its candidate from Ranebennur seat which he had won as an independent in 2018.
Sources added that Nagaraj who is billed as Karnataka's richest politician, was rewarded the berth despite his defeat in the bypolls that took place after he defected from the Congress.
He was defeated by BJP MP B.N. Bacche Gowda's son, Sharat Bacche Gowda, as an independent. Bacche Gowda and Nagaraj are from traditional rival political families who do not leave any stone unturned to retain their stranglehold on Hosakote Assembly constituency and they have been acrimoniously fighting polls against each other for several decades now.
In a real sense, four-time legislator and former industries minister Nirani, a sugar baron and industrialist from Bagalkot district and six-time BJP legislator and Sangh Parivar loyalist S. Angara have emerged as dark horses, belying all speculation that had been doing the rounds for months.
According to sources, this time Sangh leaders from the coastal region had strongly recommended Angara's case and as a result of this he was selected.
(Inputs from wires)
