K'taka CM effects cabinet reshuffle twice in a day

Aimed at mollifying his Cabinet colleagues, Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday effected a rejig, twice on a single day, by reallocating portfolios to some upset ministers.

Earlier in the day, Yediyurappa had carried out a minor reshuffle, the third in less than a week, by reallocating portfolios to three ministers -- J C Madhuswamy, Anand Singh and K Sudhakar.

With minister Madhuswamy, who was in the afternoon assigned tourism, ecology and environment departments, expressing his displeasure and amid reports that he may resign, the chief minister exchanged his portfolio with minor irrigation minister C P Yogeeshwara by late evening, effecting another round of rejig.

The second round of reallocation today was carried out to pacify Madhuswamy, who was said to have been contemplating resigning as minister, after Republic Day celebrations on Tuesday, official sources said.

Madhuswamy, who has been sulking ever since the reallocation of portfolios took place for the first time on January 21, today openly expressed that he was "upset" as his departments have been changed repeatedly in the last one week and he would arrive at some decision after flag hoisting on Tuesday, as his self-esteem was deeply hurt.

Sources close to the minister said with the chief minister on Monday night reassigning him with the minor irrigation department that he was demanding, Madhuswamy is unlikely to take any drastic step.

Earlier he was given medical education, Kannada and culture departments, when the portfolios were first reallocated on January 21, while being divested of Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and minor irrigation portfolios.

On the very next day, January 22, when minor changes were made and portfolios were reallocated once again, he was given Haj and Wakf department along with medical education, while he was relieved of Kannada and culture.

Among other portfolios reallocated today is minister Anand Singh has been given the charge of Infrastructure Development Department and Haj and Wakf.

He was on January 21 assigned tourism, environment and ecology departments, while being divested of the forest department.

Though there were reports that Singh too was planning to resign after the tourism department was divested from him, he denied it and said he will abide by the chief minister's decision.

He further said he has even offered Yediyurappa to give his ministerial berth to some other aspirant and that he was ready to serve as a normal legislator, as the chief minister has fulfilled his other demands (Vijayanagara district formation).

Monday's reallocation was a happy note for health minister K Sudhakar as has been reassigned with the medical education department as an additional charge, which was divested from him last week.

Sudhakar had been sulking ever since he was divested of the Medical Education portfolio, and had even warned that separating the two departments could impair the states Covid-19 vaccination effort.

Yediyurappa earlier too on January 22 had effected changes to the portfolios reallocated on the previous day, under pressure from ministers MTB Nagaraj, K Gopalaiah and K C Narayana Gowda, who had openly expressed displeasure over departments assigned to them and did not attend the cabinet meeting.

The rounds of portfolio reallocation has come after Yediyurappa expanded his 17-month old cabinet on January 13, by inducting seven ministers, after a long wait, which had resulted in resentment among several ministerial aspirants.

Against the sanctioned strength of 34, the Yediyurappa cabinet now has 33 members.