Karnataka Chief Minister Expands Ministry; Inducts 3 New Faces

Bengaluru:  Ahead of the assembly polls in Karnataka early next year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inducted three new faces into his council of ministers to fill the vacant slots. At a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on Friday evening, Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to H M Revanna, R B Thimmapur and Dr M C Mohan Kumari (Geetha Mahadeva Prasad).

Revanna and Thimmapur, both MLCs, were inducted as cabinet rank ministers and Mohan Kumari, a first time MLA, as minister of state with independent charge. The chief minister also effected minor changes to the portfolios of some ministers and promoted some to cabinet rank.

Newly appointed ministers, Revanna, Thimmapur and Mohan Kumari have been allotted the portfolios of Transport, Excise, and Sugar and Small Industries respectively.

Meanwhile, Ramalinga Reddy has been shifted from Transport to the key Home Ministry, Ramesh Jarkiholi given Cooperation and Labour Minister Santosh Lad the additional charge of Skill Development. State ministers who have been promoted to cabinet rank include IT and BT minister Priyan Kharge, Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports minister Pramod Madhwaraj, Municipal Administration minister Eshwar Khandre and Muzrai minister Rudrappa Lamani.

With the cabinet expansion, the chief minister has filled three posts that were lying vacant following Home minister G Parameshwara’s resignation on his continuation as Congress party’s state unit chief, Excise minister H Y Meti’s exit after an alleged sex CD scandal and the death of Co-operation minister Mahadev Prasad.