CM Kumaraswamy appoints Nine JDS men as heads of boards and corpn with cabinet rank
Bengaluru, Feb 26: Amid reports about growing discontent among JD(S) legislators and workers about party not empowering them, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has appointed nine partymen as heads to state run boards and corporations with cabinet rank.
The move ahead of announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule is seen as an attempt by the JD(S) to quell dissidence within, and to arrest any bid by the BJP to poach its legislators.
Among nine appointed, eight are MLAs.
The JD(S) move comes more than a month after appointment of Congressmen to the posts that came under its share as per coalition arrangement.
Those appointed include MLAs- Naganagouda Kandkur to Karnataka Slum Development Board, Raja Venkatappa Nayaka to Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation,D C Gowri Shankar to Mysore Sales International Limited and B Satyanarayana to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation;
Legislators- Nisarga Narayanaswamy L N to Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority, K Annadani to Devaraj Urs Backward Classes Development Corporation, K M Shivalinge Gowda to Karnataka Housing Board, K Mahadev to Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
JD(S) national general secretary Muhammad Zafrulla Khan has been appointed to the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation.
While senior JD(S) leader from north Karnataka and former MLA N H Konaraddi has been appointed as political secretary to the Chief Minister, MLA Devanand Fulasing Chavan has been made parliamentary secretary to primary and secondary education department held by Kumaraswamy.
The appointments cleared by the chief minister also include, JD(S) MLAs K Srinivasamurthy and M Srinivas as parliamentary secretaries to Animal husbandry and Cooperation ministers respectively and MLC K A Thippeswamy as parliamentary secretary to PWD minister.
It has been a long standing demand within the JD(S) to appoint partymen to key positions in the government, and the chorus gained momentum after the Congress appointed its people to boards and corporations coming under its share in January.
JD(S) has also kept two berths in the cabinet from its share vacant.
According to party sources, the JD(S)leadership decided to appoint partymen and legislators to boards and corporations with an intention to quell any kind of disgruntlement that may emerge ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
Though Kumaraswamy has cleared most names suggested by Congress from its side to boards and corporation, he had put on hold appointment of Doddaballapur MLA T Venkataramanaiah as chairperson of Karnataka Road Development Corporation (KRDCL) and Chikkaballapur MLA K Sudhakar as Karnataka Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) chairperson.
JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy had earlier clarified that Sudhakar's appointment was opposed as the Supreme Court guidelines had specified a certain qualification for the post.
Venkataramanaiah's appointment to KRDCL is said to have been opposed by Gowda's son and PWD Minister Revanna, stating that it came under his department.
Congress:
However, Venkataramaiah's name has now been cleared by Kumaraswamy for Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation Limited, along with another Congress MLA Bheema Naik to Karnataka Thanda Development Corporation.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
