Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced on Saturday that he would allocate portfolios to the 10 newly-inducted Ministers on Monday. He had earlier said that the allocation would be done by Saturday.
Responding to reports that he would be going to New Delhi to consult with the BJP high command, he said he had already consulted the central leadership and would not be visiting the national capital for the purpose again. He said the allocation of berths was “almost final” and would be formally announced on Monday.
The portfolio allocation has mostly gone off smoothly, except for a few instances like that of the Water Resources Ministry, according to sources in the party.
Senior Ministers will lose departments they held as additional charge, and in some cases may be shifted to other ministries, sources said. New Ministers S.T. Somashekhar, K. Gopalaiah and B.A. Basavaraj, all from the city, accompanied the Chief Minister at a civic programme that flagged off mechanical sweepers, among other new initiatives, on Saturday.
Mr. Basavaraj and B.C. Patil, in Tumakuru, said they were ready to handle any ministry assigned to them.
‘Opposition dreaming’
Revenue Minister R. Ashok said that none of the new Ministers had placed any demands, but had put in requests. “Everyone will have aspirations. The Chief Minister will suitably accommodate them,” he said.
Taking a dig at Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy, who had predicted dissidence in the BJP over Cabinet expansion, he said the Opposition leaders were dreaming of coming to power again.
