Yediyurappa allocates portfolios, Ramesh Jarkiholi gets major & medium irrigation department
BJP MLA Umesh Katti claims he is best suited for Karnataka's CM post
Bengaluru, Feb 10: Four days after the cabinet expansion, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday allocated portfolios to the 10 newly inducted ministers including Ramesh Jarkiholi, who got the plum major and medium irrigation department, which he was pushing for.
The Chief Minister retained the Department of Public Administration, Bengaluru Development, Intelligence Department, Finance and portfolios not allocated.
According to a government press release, Anand Singh got food, civil supplies and consumers affairs portfolio, Srimant Patil was given textile while K Gopalaiah has been assigned small scale industries.
Byrathi Basavaraj secured the Urban Development Department barring Bengaluru-related civic affairs while S T Somashekar was given the charge of the cooperation department.
The BJP government assigned forest department to B C Patil, medical education to Dr K Sudhakar, municipal administration was given to K C Narayana Gowda and labour department to A Shivaram Hebbar.
The ten BJP MLAs, all defectors from the Congress and JDS, were inducted as ministers last Thursday, with the Chief Minister rewarding them with Cabinet berths for helping the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S)coalition and come to power in July last year.
"Neither have I asked him nor as he enquired with me (regarding portfolio allocation). I had told him that whatever portfolio he gives me I will perform my duty sincerely.
I got the cooperation department, which is an area I have some experience," Somashekhar said.
Byrathi Basavaraj said he had not exerted pressure demanding any portfolio.
Meanwhile, discontentment started brewing with BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil raising the issue of addressing the regional balance in the cabinet.
"The sentiments of the MLAs should be taken care of.
Many MLAs have spoken to me on various issues highlighting the regional balance in the portfolio for the development of their region," he said.
Two other BJP MLAs--Umesh Katti and Mahesh Kumathalli-- once again made a pitch for cabinet berth.
Katti said he has always been an eligible candidate for a ministerial post.
Kumathalli once again reminded Yediyurappa of his promise to make him a minister when the bypolls were taking place in December last year.
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Hailstorm brings relief to Bengaluru from scorching summer
Bengaluru (PTI): Bringing much relief to the people battered by the scorching summer, heavy rains coupled with hailstorm lashed the city on Wednesday.
The thunderous downpour with stormy wind cooled the city, where the temperature had soared to 37 degree.
With the rains, the city, from being parched, witnessed waterlogging in just two hours.
There was waist-deep water in many areas in the city such as Richmond Town and Shanthinagar resembling a river.
The unexpected rain did not spare Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, as water gushed inside the government offices from the lobby. The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka was also flooded.
Since the downpour occurred in the evening, many office goers struggled to return home.
Uprooting of trees was reported in many parts of the city, including Malleswaram, Shanthinagar and Seshadripuram.
