Four MPs from Karnataka find place in Union Cabinet

Bengaluru: Four MPs from Karnataka found berth in the Narendra Modi government at the Centre on Wednesday. However, D.V. Sadanada Gowda, was one of the 12 ministers who resigned just hours before the reshuffle was carried out for the time time after Modi was reelected PM. Among the MPs who have joined the Union Cabinet are Narayanaswamy A (Chitradurga), Shobha Karndlaje (Chikmagalur-Udupi), Bhagavath Rao Khuba (Bidar) and Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha member). Shobha Karndlaje belongs to the Vokkaliga community and is from coastal Karnataka. Known to be the fiery face of the BJP in Karnataka, she is likely to get a prominent role in the Cabinet.

Also, Shobha will be the fifth woman from the state to serve as Union minister. Narayanaswamy, a Dalit, is a four-time MLA and a former Karnataka minister. Narayanaswamy contested his maiden Lok Sabha election in 2019 and won the Chitradurga seat.

He is likely to bag a Minister of State (MoS) post. A BJP worker for several decades, Narayanswamy is known to be soft spoken and has immense popularity within the party. Speaking to the media, he said, "It is a clear message to BJP workers across India that good work will be definitely recognized by the BJP high command. I was elected MLA four times from Anekal (Bangalore Urban) and then as MP from Chitradurga, So I will give my 100 per cent to serve the society."

Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar too met PM Modi on Wednesday. Chandrasekhar is also BJP co-incharge of Puducherry and the recent victory of the NDA in the Union Territory is likely to give him an edge in the reshuffle. Chandrasekhar, who is also the national spokesperson of the party, is likely to get an MoS.

Bidar MP Bhagwanth Khuba was also inducted into the cabinet. Bhagwanth Khuba belongs to the Lingayat community and hails from Hyderabad-Karnataka. The move signals BJP's intent to grow stronger in the area that has traditionally been a Congress stronghold.

Shobha Karandlaje and A Narayanaswamy were asked to be present in Delhi on Wednesday following resignation by Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister DV Sadananda Gowda just hours before the major reshuffle in the Union cabinet. It is claimed by the sources that Shobha Karandlaje may be inducted in his place. However, Prahlad Joshi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, has been retained by PM Modi.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, reposing faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Karnataka had sent 25 BJP MPs to the Lok Sabha and one member supported by the BJP, leaving the Congress and JD(S) with just one seat each.

With the three Lok Sabha members from Karnataka sworn in on Wednesday, the number of them getting ministerial berths is now four, including the incumbent Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Prahalad Joshi.

Since 2014, Sadananda Gowda has held several portfolios in the first and second Modi Cabinet. He has served as the Union Minister for Railways, Law, Statistics and Programme Implementation. He was MP from Bengaluru North for two consecutive terms and now represents Udupi Chikmagalur constituency. Sadananda Gowda also served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from August 2011 to July 2012. He was handpicked by BS Yediyurappa but was replaced by Jagadish Shettar later.