Yediyurappa likely to allocate portfolios to new Ministers on Thursday

Karnataka Chief Minister B SYediyurappa on Tuesday indicated that he will allocateportfolios to seven newly inducted Ministers into his cabineton January 21.

Speculations are rife that the Chief Minister mayreallocate portfolios to certain other Ministers in thecabinet whose strength is now 33.

''I will announce (portfolios) on Thursday. I will holda consultation with everyone tomorrow and announce onThursday,'' Yediyurappa told reporters in response to aquestion.

Ending a long wait, Yediyurappa had expanded his 17-month old cabinet on January 13, by inducting seven ministersas he also dropped Excise Minister H Nagesh from the ministry.

The new Ministers who were sworn-in were: MLAs UmeshKatti (Hukkeri), S Angara (Sullia), Murugesh Nirani (Bilgi)and Arvind Limbavali (Mahadevapura), and MLCs R Shankar, M T BNagaraj and C P Yogeshwar.

The cabinet expansion had led to resentment, withseveral MLAs expressing serious reservations about MLCs notelected by the people being made Ministers, lack ofrepresentation with most Ministers still from Bengaluru andBelagavi districts, and also on their ''seniority or sacrifice''not being considered.

Amid talks of reallocation of portfolios, howYediyurappa manages it will be interesting as severalMinisters including the new inductees are looking for plumportfolios.

While a few Ministers have two portfolios, the ChiefMinister along with Finance has Bangalore Development, Energy,Planning, DPAR, Information & Public Relations, Small ScaleIndustries, Backward Class Welfare Department, Tourism,Kannada and Culture, Youth Empowerment and Sports Department.

Among those with the CM, Bangalore Development andEnergy are said to be the most sought after ones.PTI KSU SSPTI PTI