The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Some Janata Dal (S) Ministers' portfolios likely to be changed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 09, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Some Janata Dal (S) Ministers' portfolios likely to be changed

S. Rajendran

New Ministers likely to be inducted only after August 15

BANGALORE: The removal of Siddaramaiah and two other Ministers from the coalition Ministry will benefit some of the Janata Dal (Secular) Ministers and legislators who will get "bayasade banda bhagya (an unexpected fortune)" as Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash put it on being elected leader of the Janata Dal (S) Legislature Party.

Sources in the JD(S) told The Hindu here on Monday that Minister for Industries and Infrastructure Development P.G.R. Sindhia will be given additional charge of the Finance portfolio Mr. Prakash will retain the Revenue portfolio. Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh gave additional charge of the Finance portfolio to Mr Prakash on Saturday, but the latter is expected to hold the charge only for a few days. Minister for Sericulture C. Channigappa will hold additional charge of the Excise portfolio.

The JD(S) leadership has begun the exercise of reallocating the portfolios earmarked for the party since the Chief Minister is expected to take up the Ministry expansion exercise only after August 15. The additional charge being given to some of the Ministers is only a temporary measure. The JD(S) is also planning to bring about certain changes, which should please all the party legislators. Apart from providing ministerial berths to three legislators, the party is expected to finalise the appointment of chairmen of boards and corporations.

JD(S) State President N. Thippanna or Mr. Prakash is expected to inform the Chief Minister about the additional charge to be given to the JD(S) Ministers in the coalition Government. The former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda held discussions with Mr. Prakash and Mr. Sindhia here on Monday evening soon after his return from Mysore.

Among the JD(S) legislators likely to find a place in the Ministry are Balachandra Jarkiholi, brother of Satish Jarkiholi who was dropped from the Ministry along with Mr. Siddaramaiah, the former Minister Muniyappa Muddappa, Alkhod Hanumanthappa, Bandappa Kashampur and G. Chandranna.

It is being said that the leadership has decided to induct a representative each of the Scheduled Castes, the Kurubas and the other backward class into the Ministry since the Ministers who were dropped belonged to the same categories. The JD(S) has an upper limit of 17 Ministers in the Council of Ministers, including the Deputy Chief Minister.

Minister for Rural Water Supply B. Sathyanarayana, who is the lone Minister of State now is hoping to be elevated to the Cabinet. In the second expansion of the Council of Ministers, some legislators were directly appointed members of the Cabinet whereas Mr. Sathyanarayana, a former Minister, remained a Minister of State. He is likely to get the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolio with Cabinet rank.

It is said that the induction of the three JD(S) Ministers will be along with the appointment of two Congress Ministers. The Congress has kept two slots in its quota vacant for long. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President M. Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the Minister for Water Resources and Transport, is expected to resign from the Government, resulting in six vacancies in the Ministry.

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