Bangalore, May 18, 2013: Photo by Gangadhar Pujar
Five days after becoming the Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah today expanded his Cabinet with the induction of 28 Ministers. Twenty were made Cabinet Ministers and the eight Ministers of State.
They were administered oath of office by Governor H R Bhardwaj at a ceremony at Glass House at Raj Bhavan.
Siddaramaiah expanded his ministry with the induction of 28 ministers, largely keeping away “tainted” MLAs. But the exercise has set off dissatisfaction among a section of Congress legislators who failed to get the berth. Significantly, none of the MLCs were accommodated.
Mining baron Anil Lad, elected from Bellary city, blue eyed boy of former Chief Minister S M Krishna and former Working President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee D K Shivakumar and R Roshan Baig failed to make it to the cabinet. However, Anil’s cousin Santosh Lad another mining baron was included in the Ministry.
None of the members from legislative council including S R Patil, leader of opposition in Legislative council, Motamma, former Leader of Opposition in the Council, ex-CWC member, Veeranna Mattikatti chairman campaign committee were accomodated in the new ministry.
Among the 28 ministers 13 including five in the cabinet and all eight ministers of State are first time ministers. While Bangalore district gets 4 ministers, Mysore gets 3 including the Chief Minister. Dakshina Kannada gets 3, Belgaum, Gulbarga gets two ministers each while 10 districts have no representation in the council of Ministry.
The Ministry now has five vacancies as Siddaramaiah can accommodate a total of 33 ministers given the strength of the Assembly, which is 224.
The Cabinet ministers are: R V Deshpande, Qamar-ul-Islam, Prakash B Hukkeri, Ramalinga Reddy, T B Jayachandra, B Ramanath Rai, H K Patil, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, V Srinivasa Prasad, H C Mahadevappa, K J George, H S Mahadeva Prasad, M H Ambarish, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Baburao Chinchanasur, U T Khadar, Satish Jarkiholi, M B Patil, H Anjaneya and Shivaraj S Thangadagi.
The Ministers of State are: Abhaychandra Jain, Dinesh Gundurao, Krishna Byregowda, Sharana Prakash Patil, Santosh Lad, Kimmane Ratnakar, Umashree and P T Parameshwar
Bonanza for coastal Karnataka, four get ministerial berth
In what can be termed as a bonanza for coastal Karnataka four MLA’s from undivided Dakshina Kannada district have been inducted into the cabinet by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today.
Out of the four three are from Dakshina Kannada namely U T Khader (Mangalore) Ramanantha Rai (Bantwal) and Abayachandra (Moodbidri). Vinaya Kaumar Sorake (Kaup) is the lone minister from Udupi district.
Worst govt in my life