New Delhi: Over three weeks after Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was sworn in following the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) government, the state finally got a cabinet with 17 ministers.
Yediyurappa, who faced opposition ire for delaying the appointment of ministers — especially in the wake of floods — had proposed the names of 17 MLAs, including independent lawmaker H Nagesh and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, to Governor Vajubhai Vala.
The chief minister ran a “one-man” cabinet for over 20 days and decided to appoint more ministers after go-ahead from BJP chief Amit Shah. "The cabinet expansion will take place between 10.30 and 11.30am tomorrow (Tuesday). I have already written a letter to the Governor in this regard. I have asked Chief Secretary to make all arrangements," he had said on Monday.
The list of ministers inducted in the BS Yediyurappa cabinet today.
The ministers include former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, two ex-deputy chief ministers — KS Eshwarappa and R Ashoka — Independent MLA H Nagesh and Laxman Sangappa Savadi, who is not a member of the Assembly or Council, and MLC Kota Srinivas Poojari. Others sworn in were: Govind M Karajol, Ashwath Narayan CN, B Sreeramulu, S Suresh Kumar, V Somanna, CT Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai, JC Madhu Swamy, CC Patil, Prabhu Chauhan and Shashikala Jolle Annasaheb, who is the only woman Cabinet Minister.
Yediyurappa had a tightrope to walk during the cabinet expansion as he had to craft a fine caste and regional balance, in view of large number of aspirants, sources said.
However, with no decision yet by the Supreme Court on 17 disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs, whose resignation from the Assembly paved the way for the BJP to gain power, the chief minister has no immediate compulsion to accommodate them.
Amid pressure from within, opposition parties, the Congress and JD(S) too had hit out at the BJP over the delay in cabinet expansion, and had raised questions about the government's "existence". The Congress had even said that Yediyurappa's one-man cabinet administration "resembled President's rule."
Congress leader Siddaramaiah had alleged that the administrative machinery had come to a standstill, especially at a time when the state was reeling under floods. "Administrative machinery has come to a standstill. Is this a democracy or dictatorship?" Siddaramaiah said on Twitter.
"Why Yediyurappa who showed hurry in taking oath as the chief minister was not showing similar hurry in expanding the cabinet? People of the state are in distress due to drought and floods in different parts," he said.
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