Yeddyurappa allocates portfolios, keeps mining

He kept his ministers without portfolios for eight days, but when it came to choosing his departments Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa decided to keep all important portfolios with him.

The chief minister has chosen to keep under him 10 departments, including Finance, Urban Development and Mines and Geology.

The allocation of portfolios well past mid-night on Saturday was also a pointer to an exercise in which the chief minister has established full control over the government by awarding some key departments to his trusted men, which has left few seniors fuming.

Yeddyurappa has given the much sought after Home Ministry portfolio to Dr V S Acharya, who is a member of the Upper House, rejecting claims by senior leader K S Eswarappa and even the Bellary strong men Reddy brothers -- G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy.

The Urban Development portfolio for which there were several contenders has remained with the chief minister, but Yeddyurappa's man R Ashok has managed to get Transport department.

Eswarappa, a bete-noire of Yeddyurappa has been cut into size, as he got Energy, much against his wishes as the prominent Backward Class leader had set his eyes on either Home or at least to retain his previous portfolio of Water Resources.

Reddy, brothers who had played an instrumental role in luring six independents to support the BJP government, had been demanding Home and Mines and Geology portfolios, going by their interest in mining.

While Karunakara Reddy had the solace of being allocated Revenue, Janardhana Reddy got Tourism and Infrastructure Development.

Katta Subramanya Naidu, another close aide of Yeddyurappa and who was inducted into ministry last evening, has been given Excise, IT, BT and Information department.

Among the five independents, who got ministerial berth, have not been successful in their bids for prominent portfolios.
 
Basavaraj Bommai who crossed over from Janata Dal-United to the Bharatiya Janata Party on the eve of election has been rewarded with Major and Medium Irrigation, a measure which has irked several seniors and the Vokkaliga strong man B N Bacchegowda, who quit Janata Dal-Secular to don saffron robes had to be content with Labour department.

First timer to the ministry, Shobha Karandlaje, has been showered a bounty with she being placed in charge of the vast Rural Development, Panchayat Raj and Rural Water Supply.

Bellary leader B Sriramulu, who owes his political patronage to the Reddy brothers, has been allocated Health and Family Welfare.

P M Narendra Swamy who was keen on Horticulture has been given women and child development and Goolihatti D Shekar aspiring for Mines got Textiles.

C M Udasi, another trusted man of Yeddyurappa has been given Public Works, a key department in the ministry.

The BJP government, which promised to address infrastructure woes of Bangalore city, has not named a minister for Bangalore Development.

Yeddyurappa, who claimed to revive the investment climate in the state, has allocated Industries department to a first timer, Murugesh Rudrappa Nirani.