29 ministers inducted in Bommai cabinet; no deputy CM this time

BENGALURU: A week after taking over as the 23rd chief minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday inducted 29 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators, including six new faces, as ministers in his new cabinet, ending days of speculation.

“Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the guidance of our home minister Amit Shah and JP Nadda (BJP national president), as our stated intention to provide propeople governance and face the challenges of the upcoming elections, this cabinet has been formed,” Bommai said before the new ministers were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Thawarchand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan. The CM said that portfolios will be allocated within the next two days.

Bommai has gone with 23 old faces, who were ministers in the previous BS Yediyurappa cabinet, while six are new. The fresh faces are V Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra, Munirathna, Halappa Achar, Shankar Patil Munenkopp and BC Nagesh.

Among the ministers dropped in the new cabinet are former deputy CM Laxman Savadi, S Suresh Kumar and Jagadish Shettar, while turncoat CP Yogeshwara, a staunch critic of Yediyurappa, who was instrumental in roping in some of the MLAS from Congress-janata Dal (Secular) alliance after the 2019 elections, has also been dropped.

“Our leaders have taken a decision that those who are seniors and experienced will be absorbed for party work,” Bommai said.

After two years, the BJP has decided to do away with the three deputy chief minister formula in Karnataka.