Belgaum: The people of northern Karnataka have reason to complain that there is imbalance in the allotment of ministerial berths.

Twelve members of the 22-member Ministry headed by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy are from the southern region and 10 are from the northern region.

However, given that 12 ministerial berths have been left unfilled, Mr. Kumaraswamy has opportunity to correct the imbalance in the next round of Ministry expansion.

The Ministers from the northern region are: Basvaraj Horatti, MLC, and B. Jarakiholi from Belgaum district, Jagadish Shettar from Dharwad, C.M. Udasi from Haveri district, Govind Karjol from Bagalkot district, Iqbal Ansari from Koppal district, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur from Gulbarga district, Alkod Hanumanthappa from Raichur district, Bandeppa Kashempur from Bidar district and B. Sriramulu from Bellary.

Of the 10 members of the Janata Dal (S) who have been included in the Ministry, six are from northern Karnataka: Mr. Horatti, Mr. Ansari, Mr. Darshanapur, Mr. Hanumanthappa, Mr. Kashempur and Mr. Jarakiholi. Of the 12 BJP members inducted, only four are from the region: Mr. Shettar, Mr. Udasi, Mr. Sriramulu and Mr. Karjol.

Of the five members of the Lingayat community in the Ministry, four are from northern Karnataka: Mr. Horatti, Mr. Darshanapur, Mr. Shettar and Mr. Udasi. The only Muslim Minister (Mr. Ansari) and all four Ministers from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Mr. Alkod, Mr. Karjol, both from SCs, Mr. Jarakiholi and Mr. Sriramulu, both from STs) are from northern Karnataka.

Among the first-timers in the Ministry, four are from northern Karnataka: Mr. Shettar, Mr. Kashempur, Mr. Hanumanthappa and Mr. Sriramulu.

Bijapur, Uttara Kannada and Gadag districts have no representation in the Ministry.

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