Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 8: Differences over portfolio allocation continue to surface in the cabinet led by chief minister D K Shivakumar, with senior minister Krishna Byre Gowda reportedly refusing to assume charge of the Bengaluru Urban Development Department until clarity is provided on the exclusion of the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) from his portfolio.
Krishna Byre Gowda, who previously served as revenue minister, has been assigned the Bengaluru Urban Development portfolio in the new cabinet. However, four days after the portfolio allocation, he is yet to take charge of the department.
According to sources, Byre Gowda has conveyed his dissatisfaction to the party high command, insisting that the Bengaluru Urban Development portfolio is incomplete without the inclusion of BDA and BMRDA. He reportedly questioned whether the portfolio was being limited to overseeing only a few city corporations and municipal bodies.
The issue was reportedly raised during a meeting held in a private hotel in Bengaluru in the presence of Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, where Byre Gowda is said to have expressed his concerns.
Byre Gowda is understood to have argued that previous holders of the Bengaluru Urban Development portfolio were also entrusted with the responsibilities of BDA and BMRDA. He reportedly sought an explanation for the departure from that practice and demanded that both authorities be brought under his charge.
Sources said he has maintained that the portfolio would not be effective without the two key urban development agencies and that, in their absence, the department would be largely confined to municipal administration matters.
The minister has reportedly made it clear that he will not assume charge of the department unless the issue is resolved and the high command provides clarity on the matter. He is said to have informed party leaders that he would continue to withhold taking charge until the confusion surrounding the portfolio allocation is addressed.
Meanwhile, Krishna Byre Gowda expressed gratitude to officers and staff of the Revenue Department for their support during his tenure. He said serving in the department had been a matter of pride and honour and had given true meaning to his public life.
Reflecting on his three-year tenure, he said he had the opportunity to undertake several reforms and people-centric initiatives, including taking government services to citizens' doorsteps. He noted that many tasks considered impossible for years had been accomplished during the period and expressed satisfaction at bringing meaningful changes to governance.
He also highlighted the introduction of online systems to plug administrative loopholes and improve efficiency. Thanking officials and staff for their cooperation, he said their support had enabled the department to implement reforms and deliver citizen-focused governance over the past three years.