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Three news faces in
Karna ministry expansion

In a mini expansion, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on Monday inducted three new faces into his ministry in an apparent bid to strike a balance of caste and district representation in his 26-month-old government.

In the long-awaited expansion, the first undertaken by Krishna after he assumed office, B S Patil Sasanur has been inducted into the ministry with a cabinet rank, while Raja Amareshwara Naik and T John have been made ministers of state.

John re-enters Krishna's ministry nearly 10 months after his controversial remark that the Gujarat earthquake was a "divine retribution for attacks on Christians" cost him the job.

Krishna has also elevated to cabinet rank minister of state for information M Shivanna, and minister of state for agricultural marketing R B Thimmapur.

Sasanur, a Lingayat, has apparently been inducted to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Allum Veerabhadrappa, who now heads the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

Governor V S Ramadevi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers.

PTI

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