The portfolio allocation comes more than a week after the swearing-in of new ministers. The exercise follows the consultations between the state leadership and the Congress high command after the August 3 Cabinet expansion. As part of the reshuffle, senior minister Ramalinga Reddy has been moved from water resources to forest, environment and ecology while KH Muniyappa has been assigned the social welfare portfolio, a department he had sought.
Health and family welfare minister UT Khader has got additional charge of minority welfare, Hajj and waqf.
Shivakumar has retained some of the important portfolios, including information, law and parliamentary affairs, town and country planning, and oversight of urban local bodies under the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
Ballari Rural MLA B Nagendra, who is battling charges in connection with the alleged diversion of funds meant for ST welfare, has been allotted planning and statistics portfolio.
Opposition BJP and JDS have stepped up pressure on Congress government over Nagendra’s induction, demanding his removal before the assembly session. The CM has appointed Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna as his political secretary with a Cabinet rank.
