The Karnataka Cabinet portfolios were allotted on Friday evening, over two weeks after negotiations began between the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy kept 11 Cabinet berths, including finance, energy, the excise department, infrastructure development, information and public relations and the intelligence wing, for himself.
However, the home ministry, under which the intelligence wing operates, will be headed by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, NDTV reported. He will also head the Bengaluru development ministry. KJ George, who was earlier the home minister, will now handle the industries portfolio, as well as information technology and biotechnology. Kumaraswamy’s brother HD Revanna will head the public works ministry.
On Thursday, Kumaraswamy had admitted that some Congress MLAs were unhappy with not getting Cabinet berths, and urged the party to pacify them.
Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar has been allotted the ministries of irrigation and medical education. Congress leader RV Deshpande, who headed the industries ministry in the previous government, has been allotted revenue and skill development.
Priyank Kharge, the son of Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge, got the social welfare ministry. Krishna Byre Gowda has been placed in charge of the law and parliamentary affairs department, the Hindustan Times reported.
Actor Jayamala, the only woman in the Cabinet, will handle the ministries of Women and Child Development and Kannada and Culture.
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