HD Kumaraswamy to take oath as CM on Wednesday: Key players likely to figure in Karnataka cabinet

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa’s decision to quit as Karnataka Chief Minister just before the floor test paved the way for the Congress-JD-S coalition to form the government in the southern state.

HD Kumaraswamy, the chief minister candidate of the Congress-JD-S alliance, on Saturday staked claim to form the government. Governor Vajubhai Vala invited Kumaraswamy to form the government and gave him 15 days’ time to prove the majority.

Kumaraswamy, who was supposed to take oath as new Karnataka CM on Monday, postponed his swearing-in to Wednesday in wake of Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and bigwigs from the Opposition, including West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Telanaga CM Chandrashekhar Rao and Andhra CM N Chandra Babu Naidu were invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony. 

Meanwhile, the Congress and JD-S have reportedly agreed upon the portfolio distribution during the post-poll alliance negotiations.

According to the sources, the Congress, which gave up chief minister’s post to keep BJP out of the power, was likely to have more ministers in Kumaraswamy’s cabinet. KPCC chief G Parmeshwara was likely to be the deputy of Kumaraswamy.

Here is the tentative list of New Karnataka cabinet:

1.            Chief Minister & Finance- Kumaraswamy (JDS)

2.            Deputy CM & Home- Dr. G Parameshwar (Congress)

3.            Irrigation - HK Patil (Congress)

4.            PWD - HD Revanna(JDS)

5.            Energy - DK Shivakumar(Congress)

6.            Heavy Industries - AT Ramaswamy (JDS)

7.            Transport - Ramalingareddy (Congress)

8.            Minor Irrigation - KM Shivalingegowda (JDS)

9.            Revenue - S Shivashankarappa (Congress)

10.          Health - UT Khader (Congress)

11.          Women welfare - Lakshmi Hebbalkar (Congress)

12.          Agriculture and Animal Husbandry - CS Puttaraju (JDS)

13.          Education - H Vishwanath (Congress)

14.          Rural Development - Satish Jarakiholi (Congress)

15.          Urban Development - KJ George (Congress)

16.          Sports and News - M Krishnappa (Congress)

17.          Information - Krishna Byregowda (Congress)

18.          Social Welfare - Chandrabhanu Jinde (JDS)

19.          Cooperative - GT Devegowda (JDS)

20.          Textiles & Muzrai - Bandeppa Kashampoora (JDS)

21.          Labour - DC Thammanna (JDS)

22.          Excise - Dinesh Gundu Rao (Congress)

23.          Medical Education - Tanveer Sait (Congress)

24.          Higher Education - Dr. K Sudhakar (JDS)

25.          Forest - Roshan Baig (Congress)

26.          Food & Civil Supplies - MB Patil  (Congress)

27.          Law & Justice - RV Deshpande (Congress)

28.          Small Scale & Sugar - Dr Ajay Singh (Congress)

29.          Science & Tech - Priyank Kharge (Congress)