CM Siddaramaiah to expand Cabinet on September 1

Ahead of the assembly polls in Karnataka early next year, CM Siddaramaiah is all set to expand his Cabinet Changes will be made only to fill three positions that were vacant MLCs H M Revanna and R B  Thimmapur and MLA Geetha Mahadeva Prasad are likely to be inducted into the cabinet

Ahead of the assembly polls in Karnataka early next year, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will expand his Cabinet on September 1.

"The state Cabinet expansion is scheduled at 5 pm on September 1," an official release quoting Siddaramaiah said. Ruling out any major revamp of his Cabinet, the chief minister had earlier said that three positions that were vacant would be filled up soon.

Three posts have been lying vacant following Home Minister G Parameshwara's resignation on his continuation as the Congress party's state unit chief, Excise Minister H Y Meti's exit after being stung by an alleged sex CD scandal, and the death of Cooperation Minister Mahadeva Prasad.

According to Congress sources, MLCs H M Revanna and R B  Thimmapur and MLA Geetha Mahadeva Prasad are likely to be inducted into the Cabinet. Geetha recently got elected from the Gundlupet  constituency following the death of her husband H S Mahadeva  Prasad, who was the cooperation minister.

The sources say the chief minister, who is holding additional charge of the home ministry, may allocate the portfolio to a senior minister in his cabinet. This would be the Siddaramaiah government's last cabinet expansion ahead of the assembly elections due early next year.

Seeking to retain power, the Congress has announced that Siddaramaiah would be its face for the polls.