Karnataka: BS Yediyurappa inducts 17 ministers in first cabinet expansion

BENGALURU: As many as 17 MLAs took oath as ministers in the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka on Tuesday.
In a simple ceremony held at Raj Bhavan, governor Vaju Bhai Vala administered oath of office to new ministers in the presence of CM Yediyurappa.
Yediyurappa was under criticism for not expanding his cabinet even 25 days after he took over the reins of state's administration while state reeled under devastating floods and landslides which claimed over 20 lives besides leaving a trail of destruction.
Of the 17 berths, Lingayats, the major vote bank of the BJP in Karnataka, walked away with 7 cabinet berths followed by Vokkaligas and Scheduled Caste which bagged three berths each. Two MLAs belonging to Scheduled Caste got entry into the cabinet while ST, Kuruba, Brahmin and Mogaveera communities got one berth each.
While the cabinet composition was on expected lines, the induction of Lakshman Savadi, who was defeated in the 2018 assembly election, has left many in the BJP surprised.
The exclusion of influential MLAs Umesh Katti and Balachandra Jarakiholi has also raised many eyebrows.
Interestingly, both Kattis and Jarakiholis do not gel well with Savadi.
Though Yediyurappa can induct 34 ministers into his cabinet, he kept 17 berths vacant to send a right signal to disqualified MLAs because of whom the BJP was able to form the government.
The portfolios to new ministers are expected to be allocated by the evening.
New ministers
Jagadish Shettar, V Somanna, Basavaraj Bommai, J C Madhuswamy, Shashikala Jolle, Lakshman Savadi, C C Patil, R Ashok, C T Ravi, Dr C N Ashwathnarayan, Prabhu Chouhan, Govind Karjol, H Nagesh, KS Eshwarappa, B Sriramulu, Kota Srinivas Poojary, and S Sureshkumar