Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa Finally Has A Cabinet, 17 Ministers Join

Three weeks after he took oath as the Chief Minister and running the government with a "one-man cabinet" for over 20 days, Yediyurappa finally has a full cabinet now.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expanded his Cabinet on Tuesday, first time after assuming charge on July 26. He inducted 17 new ministers into his cabinet in the first phase.

New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expanded his Cabinet on Tuesday, first time after assuming charge on July 26. He inducted 17 new ministers into his cabinet in the first phase. The expansion took place around 10.30 am and the Governor administered the oath of office to the lawmakers in the 'Glass House' on the lawns of Raj Bhavan, amid tight security. Three weeks after he took oath as the Chief Minister and running the government with a "one-man cabinet" for over 20 days, Yediyurappa finally has a full cabinet now. The legislators who sworn-in today were Govind Karjol, C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Laxman Savadi, K.S. Eshwarappa, R. Ashoka, Jagadish Shettar, B. Sreeramulu, S. Suresh Kumar, V. Somanna, C.T. Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai, Kota Srinivas Poojari, J.C. Madhu Swamy, Chandrakantagouda Patil, H. Nagaesh, Prabhu Chauhan and Jollie Shashikala Annasaheb. Jollie is the lone woman in the cabinet. Of the 17, 16 belong to the BJP and one, H. Nagesh, is an Independent MLA from Mulbagal assembly seat.

C N Ashwath Narayan & Govind M Karjol take oath as Karnataka Cabinet Ministers, in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/8rTgPtGudV

— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2019

Yediyurappa earlier on Monday said, "The cabinet expansion will take place between 10:30 AM, and 11:30 AM tomorrow. I have already written a letter to the Governor in this regard (to administer oath). I have asked the Chief Secretary to make all arrangements." After returning from Delhi on Saturday night, Yediyurappa said he had held talks with Shah and would get clear instructions from the central leadership by Monday evening on who all were to be inducted. Yediyurappa has had a tightrope to walk during the cabinet expansion as he had to craft a fine caste and regional balance in view of a large number of aspirants. But with the high command having its final say, any voices of open expression of dissent were unlikely, sources said. They pointed out that there was no open expression of ministerial aspirations or lobbying for posts as legislators feared that it may go against their interests. With no decision yet by the Supreme Court on disqualified Congress-JD(S) MLAs, whose resignation from the Assembly paved the way for the BJP to gain power, the Chief Minister has no immediate compulsion to accommodate them.