7 new ministers sworn in, CM BS Yediyurappa says will drop Nagesh from cabinet

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa ended the speculation over the much-awaited cabinet expansion by inducting four MLAs -- Umesh Katti, Murugesh Nirani, Arvind Limbavali an S Angara -- and three MLCs -- MTB Nagaraj, CP Yogeshwar and R Shankar – into his ministry on Wednesday.

The CM, however, indicated that one berth will be kept vacant and Excise Minister H Nagesh will be dropped from the ministry.

Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office to the ministers at a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

Yediyurappa along with BJP leaders and office-bearers, including General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, State unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel, senior State government officials, family members and supporters of the new ministers, among others, were present.

This is the third expansion of the cabinet since Yediyurappa assumed charge in July 2019 after the collapse of the Congress-JDS government in the wake of revolt by 17 MLAs of the coalition partners.

Amidst the lobbying by several BJP old guards and the Congress-JD(S) rebels the CM is said to have balanced the equation.

Keeping his promise, Yediyurappa rewarded Shankar and M T B Nagaraj, who helped the saffron party come to power, with cabinet berths.

Both of them had served as ministers in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

Among the BJP old guard who made it to the cabinet were Katti, Angara, Nirani and Limbavali.

Sugar baron Nirani and CM's trusted man from Dakshina Kannada Angara were earlier disappointed for their non-inclusion in the cabinet.

While this will be first stint as minister for six-time MLA Angarar, Katti (eight-time MLA), Nirani and Limbavali (State BJP vice president) were ministers in the previous BJP government.

Last time, speculation was rife that Angara would resign after finding his name missing in the ministerial berth. His supporters gathered in Bengaluru in large numbers expressing disappointment, but Angara then said he was loyal to the party and would stick to their decision.