10 new ministers inducted into CM Yediyurappa’s Cabinet in Karnataka

Notable absentees included rural development and panchayat raj Minister KS Eshwarappa and former minister Murugesh Nirani. Health minister B Sriramulu and Cabinet berth aspirant CP Yogeeshwar were absent from the event as well. 10 newly elected MLA were inducted into the Karnataka Cabinet today.

Bengaluru: In a last-minute twist to the Cabinet expansion in Karnataka, only 10 BJP legislators who jumped ship to the saffron party were inducted as ministers today, dashing the hopes of BJP old-timers. 

Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to 10 new ministers in Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s Cabinet. 

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Ministers ST Somashekar, Jarkiholi Ramesh Laxmanrao, Anand Singh, K Sudhakar, BA Basavarja, Arabail Hebbar Shivaram, Basavanagowda Channabasavanagowda Patil, K Gopalaiah, Narayana Gowda and Shrimant Balasaheb Patil took oath at the Raj Bhavan. These Cabinet ministers are all turncoats who defected from Congress and JD(S). 

CM Yediyurappa was earlier planning to induct at least three party loyalists namely Umesh Katti, Arvind Limbavali and CP Yogeshwar but the party high command dashed their hopes as they did not approve their induction. 

Yediyurappa has been under tremendous pressure with party old timers demanding a berth. According to reports, BJP might face rebellion, however, the high command’s stern warning has made them fall in line. 

Athani MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, who was among the disqualified MLAs, did not get inducted into the Cabinet, skipped the event. He was the only BJP MLA among the defectors, who won the bypoll but was not inducted. 

Kumathalli told News9 that he will not cause embarrassment to the BJP and CM BS Yediyurappa over the Cabinet berth. He also added that he will meet the CM and find out the reasons for denying him a ministerial berth. 

Apart from Ramesh Jarkiholi and Anand Singh, all others are first time ministers.