Probable expansion of the cabinet on Saturday with 24 other ministers

Karnataka: probable enlargement of the cabinet on Saturday with 24 other ministers

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would expand his current ten-member cabinet on Saturday, with more of his loyalists and those of his deputy DK Shivakumar receiving ministerial places.

The names of at least 24 new ministers have been finalized following a series of consultative meetings in Delhi, by IANS.

The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on Saturday around 11:30 a.m.

• The Congress Party made a comeback in Karnataka by forming the government alone after 10 years by winning the recent assembly elections.
• The poll results also upheld the state’s custom of giving terms to alternate governments every five years.
• Notably, the Congress won 135 seats in the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 66 seats.

The decision to expand the cabinet was reportedly taken after CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy Shivakumar met with party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi on Thursday.

The names of nearly 24 potential candidates were discussed and forwarded to party chairman Mallikarjun Kharge for final approval.

Notably, the two leaders are also expected to meet former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

“Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar actively lobbied for their trusted supporters to be included in the cabinet,” a senior congressional official said. Hindustan time. Kharge canceled all Friday engagements and meetings to complete deliberations on the Karnataka cabinet, he added.

On Wednesday, Siddaramaiah also assured ministers of portfolios shortly after BJP leader and ex-CM Basavaraj Bommai questioned the delay.

“We will hand over the responsibility to them at the earliest. How long did BS Yediyurappa remain alone in the cabinet as Chief Minister? Mr. Former Chief Minister (Bommai), you must have no doubts,” said he declared.

On May 19, Congress unveiled the initial list of eight ministers for the newly created cabinet.

The names of G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa, KJ George, MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge, Ramalinga Reddy and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan were on the list.

They were sworn in alongside Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar on May 20, but have yet to receive portfolios.

Reacting to the delay, Bommai had said, “Congratulations to the chief minister and all the ministers, but it would have been appropriate if the chief minister had introduced the ministers after assigning them portfolios.”

“Why didn’t this happen? If it happens sooner it will be good,” Bommai said shortly after Siddaramaiah introduced the eight new ministers last Saturday.