JOIN USMinister Balachandra Jarkiholi, a known detractor of former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, has been given additional responsibility of two more departments.
With this, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has met his cabinet colleague’s long-standing demand.
Jarkiholi, at present holds the portfolios of Municipalities and Local Bodies, besides Department of Public Enterprises. He has now been allotted two more major departments - Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB). These two were under Minister for Law and Urban Development (barring certain departments) and BWSSB S Suresh Kumar.
The chief minister’s office sent the file pertaining to the reallocation of the departments to Jarkiholi, to the Governor’s office Tuesday evening. The Governor office is yet to issue a notification, sources said.
Jarkiholi was disqualified as MLA during the tenure of Yeddyurappa as chief minister. But he, along with 15 more MLAs, retained the membership following a court direction. He represents Arebhavi constituency in Belgaum district.
Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa said, “The government had promised Jarkiholi that he would get additional responsibility. He is a senior leader of our party. So, we have effected some changes.”
Jarkiholi said: “I had requested the chief minister to give me BWSSB. Anyhow, I have got additional departments which are directly related to my department - municipal administration.
Both KUIDFC and KUWSDB get huge fundings from various agencies and we can take up a good number of works. We had requested that Minister Govind M Karjol should also get RD and PR portfolio. But the chief minister is yet to respond.”
Jarkiholi had opposed removing D V Sadananda Gowda as the chief minister. He had openly criticised Yeddyurappa for demanding removal of Gowda.
Social Welfare and Prisons Minister A Narayanaswamy has been given an additional charge of the Backward Classes department, which was carved out of the Social Welfare department.
The chief minister’s office has forwarded the file in this regard to the Governor’s office.