Minor cabinet reshuffle in K’taka to placate ministers

BENGALURU: A day after four ministers skipped a cabinet meeting expressing their displeasure over the portfolios allotted to them, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa again affected minor changes in the portfolios of six ministers on Friday.

MTB Nagaraj, who had expressed his displeasure over the allotment of the excise portfolio to him, stating that he did not cross over to the BJP from the Congress in 2019 to ensure free flow of liquor to the people, had demanded a pro-people portfolio instead of an ‘anti-people portfolio’ like the excise. Of the six disgruntled leaders, Nagaraj and R Shankar had openly refused to accept a government car, while the former went a step ahead by skipping the cabinet meeting that was convened on Thursday evening by the Chief Minister.

Nagaraj was not the only one to skip the cabinet meeting, as ministers like JC Madhuswamy, K Sudhakar and KC Narayana Gowda too had adopted a similar strategy to register their protest. Yediyurappa has now allocated the municipal administration and sugar portfolios to Nagaraj, while K. Gopalaiah, who was upset after being divested of the food and civil supplies portfolio, has now been made the in-charge of the excise ministry.

Madhuswamy, who was upset after he was divested of portfolios like law and parliamentary affairs, has now been assigned the additional charge of Haj and Waqf in lieu of Kannada and culture. He will also be the medical education minister. Another senior BJP MLA, Aravind Limbaval, who too was upset with the allocation of the forest ministry, has now been given the additional charge of Kannada and culture.