Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expanded his cabinet on Wednesday, 4 August.
Among those inducted into the cabinet are seven Vokkaliga leaders, eight Lingayat leaders, three Scheduled Caste leaders, one Scheduled Tribe leader and seven OBC leaders. One woman leader and one Reddy leader too was inducted into the cabinet.
Former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra did not make it to the cabinet. The oath taking took place at 2.15 pm.
Among those who took oath were Govind Karjol, K S Eshwarappa, R Ashoka, B Sriramulu, V Somanna, Umesh Katti, S Angara, J C Madhav Swamy, Araga Jnanendra, Ashwath Narayana, CC Patil, Murugesh Nirani, Shashikala Jolle, Prabhu Chauhan, ST Somashekar, BC Patil, Byrathi Basavaraju, K Sudhakar and K Gopalaiah. While some ministers took oath in the name of farmers, Chauhan took oath in the name of Gau Mata.
Earlier during the day, Bommai had addressed a press conference from the Vidhana Soudha along with the state in charge Arun Singh and maintained that his Cabinet would be a mixture of experience and enthusiasm.
"We have already discussed everything related to the ministers in the past two days in Delhi," Bommai was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He added that the Cabinet is formed as per the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP Party President JP Nadda, and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
A day earlier, the CM had reportedly said, "The central BJP leadership will discuss with (former CM) BS Yediyurappa the Cabinet expansion. There is a difference of opinion on whether to continue the Deputy CM post. Regarding BY Vijayendra (Yediyurappa's son), the party will take a final call."
'Explained the Need for Early Cabinet Expansion'
Last week, Bommai had said he explained the necessity for an early Cabinet expansion in the meeting with BJP President JP Nadda. "We will get the nod within next week. I have not discussed the list of probable ministers in today's meeting. But told the need of early decision on this issue," the 61-year-old leader had told reporters in Delhi, reported PTI.
The newly appointed Karnataka CM had arrived in the national capital on Friday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Taking to Twitter after the meeting, PM Modi wrote that he had conveyed his best wishes to CM Bommai and assured him full support for the development of Karnataka.
Bommai was sworn in as the Karnataka CM on 28 July, a day after he was selected for the post in the aftermath of BS Yediyurappa's resignation.
Bommai was serving as the state's Minister of Home Affairs under the Yediyurappa government.
(with inputs from IANS)
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