Bengaluru: Finally Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who has formed a Cabinet, has another important responsibility ahead of him as the Congress Government is likely to appoint District In-Charge Ministers soon.
In the coastal areas, situations such as floods and other sensitive issues related to religion as well as moral policing need to be tackled. In this context, the Government is likely to appoint a District In-Charge Minister at the earliest. It remains to be seen whether any of the seven ministers in Bengaluru, especially K. J. George, will get the District In-Charge as there is no minister to represent Mangaluru.
However, differences in the appointment of in-charge are sure to arise as most of Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet colleagues among the 34 are inclined towards their own Districts.
It will be interesting to see whether the Chief Minister will keep the charge of Bengaluru Urban District with himself or give it to Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar as he is the Bengaluru Development Minister. If Shivakumar can be asked to take charge of Ramanagara District as it is his home District, the Kanakapura Assembly constituency he represents falls under its jurisdiction. Stalwarts like Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy have expressed displeasure over the ministerial berth.
Sources said Energy Minister K. J. George may be in the fray for the post of Minister In-Charge of Bengaluru Urban District.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, Revenue Minister Krishna ByreGowda and Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan are also senior but they are unlikely to stake claim but will focus only on their portfolios, sources added.
Byrathi Suresh, Urban Development and Town Planning Minister (including KUWSDB and KUIDFC) will not get District In-Charge, except for Bengaluru Urban Development, sources said.
Public Works Minister Satish Jarakiholi is likely to be In-Charge of Belagavi and Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi R..Hebbalkar is likely to be in charge of Hubballi-Dharawad District, sources said.
However, Siddaramaiah’s close aide and Labour Minister and Kalaghatgi MLA Santosh Lad is unlikely to give up the charge of Hubballi-Dharawad District, while Forest, ans Environment Minister Ishwar Khandre and Municipal Administration Minister Haj Rahim Khan will fight for Bidar District In-Charge.
RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge and Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharanprakash Patil want to become the Minister In-Charge of Kalaburagi District. Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara is likely to be In-Charge of Tumakuru District. However, Co-operation Minister K. N. Rajanna, who is close to Siddaramaiah, is also likely to be fielded.
In Mysuru, there is a contest between Animal Husbandry and Sericulture Minister K. Venkatesh and Social Welfare Minister H. C. Mahadevappa. For Ballari District, there is a contest between B. Nagendra, Minister for Youth Services, Sports and ST Development and N. S Boseraju (Ballari), Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology.
Nagendra may be considered for Chitradurga in place of Planning and Statistics Minister D. Sudhakar. Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure M. B. Patil and Minister for Textiles, Sugarcane Development and Shivanand Patil are from Vijayapura District.
Possible District In-charge Ministers
Fisheries and Ports and Inland Transport Minister Mankal Vaidya (Uttara Kannada),
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangarappa (Shivamogga)
Higher Education Minister Dr. M. C. Sudhakar (Chikkaballapura)
Food and Civil Supplies Minister K. H. Muniyappa (Kolar)
Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy (Mandya)
Mines and Geology and Horticulture Minister S. S. Mallikarjun (Davanagere),
Excise Minister Thimmapura Ramappa Balappa (Bagalakote),
Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Law and Tourism H. K. Patil (Gadag),
Small Scale Industries, Public Enterprises Sharanabasappa Darshanapura (Yadgir), Backward Classes, Kannada and Culture Minister Thangadagi Shivaraj Sangappa (Koppal),