By IANS,
Bangalore: R. Ashoka has been made the new home minister of Karnataka after the 34-member state cabinet was reshuffled Wednesday following the induction of six cabinet ministers.
Ashoka will, however, continue to be the transport minister, a post he has been holding since the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state in May 2008.
Reallocating the portfolios of the ministers on Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s recommendation, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj shifted former home minister A.S. Acharya to higher education, with additional portfolios of planning and statistics.
“Ashoka will be the home minister but the intelligence wing will be with the chief minister,” a communiqué from Raj Bhavan said late Wednesday.
Shobha Karandlaje, the lone woman in the government, who was re-inducted into the cabinet after almost a year, has been allotted energy.
Shobha, a confidante of Yeddyurappa, was forced to resign as part of the compromise formula to please the powerful mine owners and ministers, the Reddy brothers who revolted against the chief minister in October-November last year.
The other five new cabinet ministers have been given the following portfolios: V. Somanna – food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, a post held by H. Halappa, who resigned in May after he was accused of raping his friend’s wife in 2009.
C.H. Vijaya Shankar — forest, ecology and environment; A. Narayana Swamy – social welfare; C.C. Patil – women and child development and S.A. Ramdas – medical education.
The six new ministers were sworn-in by Bhardwaj at Raj Bhavan at a noisy ceremony, which lasted about 10 minutes and was attended by other cabinet colleagues, officials and several supporters of the newly inducted.
The twin Reddy brothers and B. Sriramulu from the rich iron ore belt of Bellary district in north Karnataka retain the portfolios they have been holding during the last 28 months.
Elder brother G. Karunakara Reddy holds revenue, while younger brother G. Janaradhana Reddy will continue as tourism and infrastructure development.
Sriramulu will continue as minister of health and family welfare.
In addition to being the chief minister, Yeddyurappa will continue to hold the following portfolios – finance, urban development pertaining to Bangalore city, mines and geology, information and personnel and administrative reforms.
Yeddyurappa dropped three ministers Tuesday despite efforts by the Reddy brothers against the move.
Those shown the door were Goolihatti Shekar (sports and youth affairs), K. Shivanagouda Naik (mass education and public libraries) and Aravind Limbavali (higher education).
The other three vacancies were caused earlier following the resignation of ministers over various scandals.