Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai inducts 29 ministers; no berth for BSY’s son, rivals

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4

A week after he took over as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai today expanded his Cabinet by inducting 29 ministers. Unlike the previous regime headed by former CM BS Yediyurappa, Bommai’s Council of Ministers does not have even one deputy Chief Minister. Yediyurappa had three deputies.

Also missing from the list of new ministers, administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, is Yediyurappa’s son BY Vijayendra, who was being considered a frontrunner for a Cabinet berth.

Some of Yediyurappa’s loyalists such as MP Renukacharya, SR Vishwanath and H Halappa also failed to make the cut, but so did some of his detractors. Sources said the central leadership tried to strike a balance by leaving out both the known baiters and loyalists of the former CM.

Among those sworn in today, around 23 were part of the Yediyurappa’s cabinet. The fresh faces in the new cabinet are V Sunil Kumar (Karkala), Araga Jnanendra (Thirthahalli), Munirathna (RR Nagar), Halappa Achar (Yelburga), Shankar Patil Munenkopp (Navalgunda) and BC Nagesh (Tiptur), mostly party loyalists not linked to any faction.