K'taka Cabinet expansion: MLC B M Farooq to join HDK government?

Bengaluru: If certain sources are to be believed, MLC B M Farooq, a businessman from Mangaluru will be joining Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s Cabinet on June 12.

As per the sources, former prime minister and party supremo H D Deve Gowda directed his son CM Kumaraswamy to induct Farooq into the cabinet in order to strengthen the party’s presence in coastal Karnataka and give representation to the minority communities.

Kumaraswamy on Saturday, June 8 announced that the expansion of the Karnataka cabinet would take place on June 12.

Kumaraswamy made the announcement in a tweet after meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala, which comes after weeks of consultations between the chief minister and Congress leaders amid coalition worries compounded by the Lok Sabha poll rout.

“Today, I met the honourable governor and requested him to give time for the cabinet expansion. He has fixed June 12, Wednesday, 11.30 am to administer oath,” Kumaraswamy tweeted.

The cabinet expansion or rejig was in the offing after the humiliating defeat of the Congress and JD(S) in the Lok Sabha election, in which both the parties barely survived the Modi wave, getting one seat each.