Another reshuffle in K’taka

In a move to keep his cabinet members happy, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa Monday carried out another shuffling, making it the second change in two weeks since he expanded his cabinet on January 13. It was only on Friday that the CM had reallocated some portfolios owing to dissidence.

In the latest shuffling, he changed portfolios of three ministers. Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar got the Medical Education Department back after it was allocated to JC Madhuswamy on January 23. Sudhakar had publicly expressed his ire and apprehension that the handling of the Medical Education Department by a different minister at this stage may negatively impact the ongoing vaccination drive.

Senior minister Madhuswamy, who was stripped off his prime portfolios of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation on January 13 has now been given the Tourism Department, Ecology and Environment portfolios.

Anand Singh who was previously holding portfolios of Ecology and Environment Departments, got Infrastructure Development and Haj and Waqf Departments.

On January 13, Yediyurappa had inducted seven new ministers — Umesh Katti, Aravind Lumbavali, MTB Nagaraj, CP Yogeshwar, R Shankar, S Angara and Murugesh Nirani after a 17month-wait.