The Hindu : Kerala News : Antony given Karnataka charge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Antony given Karnataka charge

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 23. The former Kerala Chief Minister A. K. Antony was today given charge of Karnataka by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, in a minor reallocation of portfolios that became necessary after Vilasrao Deshmukh became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Salman Khursheed president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC).

While Mr. Deshmukh's charge of Karnataka has gone to Mr. Antony, the five States with Mr. Khursheed have been apportioned between two general secretaries - Ambika Soni and Margaret Alva. Ms. Soni has been given charge of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands in addition to Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir which were under her.

Ms. Alva, who is the general secretary in charge of Maharashtra, has been given Chhattisgarh. Announcing this here today, the general secretary in charge of organisational matters, Janardan Dwivedi, said the three Congress leaders had been given the additional charge on a temporary basis.

Cabinet expansion

With Mr. Antony being given charge of Karnataka, the "long overdue'' Cabinet expansion in the State has been further delayed. The Karnataka Chief Minister, Dharam Singh, was initially slated to come to Delhi today for discussions with the high command on Cabinet expansion but was apparently told to postpone his visit in view of the reallocation of portfolios.

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