Under pressure from within the Cabinet, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa again reshuffled portfolios on Friday, just a day after he allotted berths to the newly-inducted Ministers.
With key defectors Nagaraju (MTB), K. Gopalaiah and K. Sudhakar being upset over portfolios allotted to them, the Chief Minister had given Basavaraj Bommai and R. Ashok the task of pacifying them. The changes to portfolios is a result of these talks, sources said. However, there has been no change in Dr. Sudhakar's berth.
Mr. Nagaraju, who was unhappy with the Excise Department allotted to him, has now been allotted Municipal Administration and Directorate of Sugar from Industries and Commerce Department, earlier allotted to R. Shankar. K. Gopalaiah, who was upset at being divested of the Food and Civil Supplies Department and unhappy over the relatively low profile Horticulture and Sericulture Departments allotted to him, has now been made the new Excise Minister. Mr. Shankar has now been allotted Horticulture and Sericulture Departments.
Meanwhile, Arvind Limbavali has been given the additional charge of Kannada and Culture Department, allotted to J. C. Madhuswamy on Thursday, apart from Forest Department. Mr. Madhuswamy has instead been given the additional charge of Haj and Wakf Department apart from Medical Education. He is reportedly upset over being divested of Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation Departments. He had asked for these portfolios to be allotted to him when the government was formed. Meanwhile, Dr. Sudhakar is also upset over being divested of the Medical Education Department.
Mr. Yediyurappa let go another low key portfolio he held - Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics Department -- and allotted it to K.C. Narayana Gowda, who had to give up Haj and Wakf Department to Mr. Madhuswamy.
