Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on allocated portfolios to the 10 new ministers sworn-in on February 6, giving up 9 departments he was holding for over 6 months. 

Yediyurappa

Allocating the portfolios to the new ministers, Yediyurappa allowed the incumbent 17 ministers to retain their portfolios but shifted additional charges of some of them to their new colleagues.

Besides finance, the Chief Minister retained planning, energy, administration, Bengaluru development, intelligence and information and public relations. 

Here are the portfolios allotted to new ministers

  • Ramesh Jarkiholi - Major and medium irrigation projects, excluding water resources. 
  • Anand Singh - Food, civil supplies and consumer affairs.
  • SB Patil - Textiles.
  • K Gopalaiah - Small-scale industries.
  • BA Basavaraja - Urban development.
  • ST Somashekar - Cooperation.
  • BC Patil - Forest
  • K Sudhakar - Medical education.
  • KC Narayana Gowda - Municipal administration
  • AH Shivaram - Labour.

CM Yediyurappa cabinet expansion

BS Yediyurappa
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa and Prime Minister Narendra ModiTwitter

The first cabinet expansion was on August 20 when 17 members of the ruling BJP were inducted over three weeks after Yediyurappa took oath as the Chief Minister for the fourth time on July 26. In the 34-member ministry, the six vacancies will be filled after the Budget session in March.

Of the 17 defectors from the opposition Congress and JD-S, 13 re-contested in the December 5 by-elections 5 and 11 won, while MTB Nagaraj and AH Vishwanath lost.

By-elections in Muski in Raichur district and RR Nagar in southwest Bengaluru are pending the outcome of the litigation in the Karnataka High Court on their results declared in the 2018 Assembly elections.

Governor Vajubhai Vala allocated the portfolios to the new ministers on the Chief Minister's advice, said a Raj Bhavan communique.

(Inputs from wires)