Mallikarjun Kharge’s home turf gets a major share in Cabinet

Priyank Kharge | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Eshwar Khandre | Photo Credit: T. GOPICHAND

Rahim Khan | Photo Credit: T. GOPICHAND

Kalyana Karnataka region – the home turf of AICC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge – has got a major share in the Siddaramaiah-led State Cabinet. In all, seven out of 24 new Ministers who were sworn in on Saturday are from the seven districts of the Kalyana Karnataka region.

Together with Priyank Kharge, son of Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge, who was sworn in as Minister last week, the total number of Ministers from the Kalyana Karnataka region stands at eight.

Of the eight, two from Kalaburagi district, three-time MLA Priyank Kharge from Chittapur has been allotted the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department while four-time MLA Sharanprakash Patil from Sedam has been given the Higher Education Department.

Of the two legislators from Bidar district, KPCC working president and four-time legislator Eshwar Khandre from Bhalki has been allotted Forest Ecology and Environment Department and two-time MLA Rahim Khan from Bidar city has been given Municipal Administration and Haj portfolio in the Siddaramaiah cabinet.

Senior Congress leader representing Shahapur Assembly constituency in Yadgir district Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, has been given Small Scale Industries and Public Sector Industries; 

Shivaraj Tangadagi from Kanakagiri constituency in Koppal district got Backward Classes and ST Welfare Department and B. Nagendra from Ballari constituency got charge of Youth Services, Sports and Kannada and Culture Department.

N.S. Boseraju’s inclusion a surprise

The inclusion of N.S. Bosaraju, AICC general secretary, who is not a member of either the Assembly or the Legislative Council, came as a surprise for all the senior legislators who were lobbying for berths. Mr. Boseraju has been allotted Science and Technology and Tourism Department.

Of the eight ministers from the region, six have served as Ministers in the past.

Five-time MLA Mr. Darshanapur, belonging to Lingayat Reddy community, served as Energy Minister in J.H. Patel Cabinet; He also served as Agriculture Minister in H.D. Kumaraswamy Cabinet in 2006.

Dr. Sharanprakash R. Patil, from Adi Banajiga Lingayat community, served as Medical Education Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government between 2013 to 2018; Priyank Kharge, belonging to Scheduled Caste (Right group), also served as Minister for IT & BT during Siddaramaiah’s tenure in office and Tourism Minister.

Eshwar Khandre, from Veerashaiva Lingayat community, served as Minister of Municipal Administration and Public Enterprises in Siddaramaiah ministry, Rahim Khan from the Muslim Community, was Minister of State for Youth Empowerment and Sports in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

Shivaraj Tangadagi, belonging to the Scheduled Caste (Bhovi Community), was the Minister for Minor Irrigation in Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet.

B. Nagendra, who defeated BJP leader Sriramulu from Ballari Rural constituency, belonging to Scheduled Caste (Valmiki Nayak community), has been inducted into the Cabinet for the first time.