Karnataka   

Defectors from Congress, JD(S) included in Ministry

BANGALORE: The three defectors from the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party after quitting their Assembly membership, were inducted into the Ministry by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa here on Thursday.

Balachandra L. Jarkiholi, K. Shivanna Gouda Nayak (who quit the Janata Dal-S) and Anand Asnotikar (who quit the Congress) took oath as Cabinet Ministers at a swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan. Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Ministers.

Of the three new Ministers, only Mr. Jarkiholi has served as Minister earlier. The other two are first-time MLAs.

With this Cabinet expansion, all the three ministerial vacancies have been filled and the Yeddyurappa Ministry has touched the optimum strength of 34 members.

The Chief Minister took oath with 29 Ministers on May 30. The Ministry was expanded for the first time on June 7 by including Katta Subramanya Naidu. The second expansion was effected on Thursday with the inclusion of three new leaders.

The highlight of the swearing-in ceremony was the absence of the Opposition leaders. BJP State president D.V. Sadananda Gowda too did not attend the function as he was away in Mangalore.

The Chief Minister noted that portfolios would be allocated to the new Ministers in a day or two. He said his government’s strength had increased with the joining of the three leaders. The government would complete the full term of five years without any problems, he added.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said he had spoken to the party’s senior MLAs who could not make it to the Ministry and explained to them the circumstances under which he had to include the new comers. Ministers B. Sriramulu, Janardhan Reddy and Karunakar Reddy, who played an important role in bringing these three leaders to the BJP, were present at the swearing-in ceremony.

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