Major reshuffle in Karnataka Cabinet as CM B S Yediyurappa allocates portfolios to new ministers

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday gave effect to major changes in his Cabinet as he allocated portfolios to the seven newly-inducted ministers. Portfolios of several ministers were either divested or changed in one of the major reshuffles of the BJP state government.

Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti - among the seven inducted last week - has been allocated the Food and Civil Supplies Department, headed previously by K Gopalaiah. Gopalaiah is now Minister for Horticulture and Sugarcane Development Department.

K Sudhakar, who held both Health and Family Welfare, and Medical Education portfolios, was divested of the latter. J C Madhuswamy will now be Medical Education minister, and also head the Kannada and Culture Department - which was left without a minister since the resignation of CT Ravi from the Cabinet to pursue his role in the national BJP unit.

The previous portfolios held by Madhuswamy, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and Minor Irrigation Department were handed over to Basavaraj Bommai - who continues as Home Minister, and MLC C P Yogeeshwar - one of the new ministers, respectively.

Portfolios of others recently inducted to the Cabinet are: Aravind Limbavali - Forest Department, Murugesh Nirani - Mines and Geology Department, S Angara - Fisheries, and Ports and Inland Transport Department, MTB Nagaraj - Excise Department, R Shankar - Municipal Administration and Sericulture Department.

Limbavali took over Forest Department from Anand Singh, while Murugesh Nirani replaced C C Patil as Mines and Geology minister. Singh will now head Tourism, and Environment and Ecology Departments, while CC Patil will take charge of Small Scale Industries, and Information and Public Relations Departments.

Full list of portfolio allocation:

Umesh Katti: Food, Civil supplies and consumer affairs department

S Angara: Fisheries, ports and inland transport

Basavaraj Bommai: Home excluding intelligence, law and parliamentary affairs

J C Madhuswamy: Medical education, Kannada and culture

C C Patil: Small scale industries, information and public relations

Aravind Limbavali: Forest Department

Murugesh Nirani: Mines and geology

MTB Nagaraj: Excise department

Kota Srinivasa Poojari: Muzrai, Backward classes welfare

K Sudhakar: Health and family welfare (excluding medical education)

Anand Singh: Tourism, environment and ecology

CP Yogeeshwara: Minor irrigation

Prabhu Chauhan: Animal Husbandry

Shivaram Hebbar: Labour department

R Shankar: Municipal administration, sericulture

K Gopalaiah: Horticulture, sugarcane development and directorate

KC Narayana Gowda: Youth empowerment, Haj and wakf department