Bangalore: Acharya Loses Home, Shunted to Higher Education
Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Sep 23: Transport minister, R Ashok, has everything to cheer about. Showing full confidence in his capabilities, the Chief Minister (CM) has allotted to him the important portfolio of home, in addition to the transport department he already heads. In a surprise move, Acharya has been relieved of his home portfolio, and given higher education department. He also has additional charge of planning and statistics departments.
Shobha Karandlaje has been given energy ministry, which was earlier with K S Eshwarappa, and since handled by the Chief Minister after Eshwarappa was made the state BJP president. Karandlaje has taken charge of this important portfolio at a time when the state is facing acute shortage of power. The Reddy Brothers and their close confidante, Sriramulu, who had indicated that they would revolt against Yeddyurappa, have been retained in their respective departments.
First time minister, V Somanna, who had an eye on the department of urban development, has got food and civil supplies department. Govind Karjol, minister for minor irrigation, has been given the department of Kannada and culture, additionally.
Krishna J Palemar has been given the muzrai portfolio, which hitherto was with Sudhakar. The departments of mass education, library and lottery, which were earlier handled by Shivanagouda, have been given to Revunayak Belamagi. The department of animal husbandry, which was with Belamagi, has been given to Narendra Swamy. Women and child department has been given to the newly inducted minister, C C Patil.
The CM has chosen to take the department of information from Katta Subrahmanya Naidu and retain the same with him. S A Ravindranath, who faced the threat of being dropped, has been divested of his agriculture portfolio, and given the departments of sugar and horticulture. The department taken away from him has been allotted to Umesh Katti. Venkataramanappa has got the department of textile in exchange for the small scale industry department he held so far. The small scale industry and agricultural market departments have gone to Shivaraj Tangadagi.
Sudhakar has now got youth services, sports and prisons departments. New minister, Narayana Swamy, has got social welfare department, while Vijay Shankar has been allotted the department of forests. Ramadas has been given the department of medical education.
State BJP president, K S Eshwarappa, has said that the efforts of making the ministry more vibrant and efficient will be continued, and in all likelihood, three new faces will be inducted into the ministry in a reshuffle that will happen immediately after the budget session – 2011.