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Karnataka : Many stalwarts left out of government |
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The much-awaited expansion of the Congress-Janata Dal (S) coalition ministry in Karnataka was marked by the non-inclusion of senior Congress leaders. Among the 10 ministers who were sworn in on June 5, barring former home minister Mallkarjun Kharge, no other Congress stalwart could find a place in the five ministerial berths allotted to the party.
Nine of the ministers were sworn in with Cabinet rank while Tanvir Sait of the Congress took oath as minister of state. From the Janata Dal (S), P.G.R. Sindhia, M.P. Prakash, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowdas son, H.D. Revanna, D. Manjunath and Mirajuddin Patel were inducted. While from the Congress, Prakash Hukkeri, Srinivas Gowda and S.R. More joined the ministry along with Kharge and Sait. The portfolios row has not been sorted out with the Congress not accepting the Maharashtra model on key posts in the Cabinet.
Both the Congress and the Janata Dal (S) have worked out the same caste and community combination in choosing ministers with each party giving representation to a Vokkaliga, Lingayat, Scheduled Caste, Backward Caste and Muslim candidates.
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