'Major communities garner lion share in BJP ministry'

"Yeddyurappa has given the go by to merit, regional representation and social justice while recasting his ministry," former opposition Congress leader in the Legislative Council V S Ugrappa alleged in a statement here.

In the September 22 reshuffle which saw inductin of six ministers, only 18 of 30 districts have representation, while 12 have none, leading to regional imbalance, he said.

Among Karnataka's total population, Backward Classes constitute 27 per cent, SCs 17 per cent,Lingayats 16 per cent, 14 per cent minorities, ten per cent Vokkaligas, 6.6 STs and 3.8 per cent Brahmins, he said.

In contrast to the population ratio, the ministry has 11 members belonging to Lingayats, six from Scheduled Caste, five Vokkaligas, four Brhamins, four from backward classes, two from ST section and two belonging to minority community.

There is an imabalance in allotment of portfolios too as major departments which spend crores of rupees on Finance, Major Irrigation, PWD and Rural Development are concentrated at the hands of lingayat ministers, he alleged.

Minor portfolios like Animal Husbandry, Textiles, Library have been given to ministers representing Dalit sections, he pointed out.

"Fertile fortfolios are held by powerful communities and the insignificant by BCs and other exploited sections", he charged.