A letter to the Governor by the Karnataka Congress Legislative Party named eight MLAs who are set to become ministers in Siddaramaiah’s new cabinet.
The first list of eight MLAs who are named cabinet ministers in Siddaramaiah’s government includes a Lingayat leader, two Dalit leaders, one Christian and a Muslim.
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge, former deputy CM G Parameshwara and senior leader MB Patil are among the first MLAs among eight to be made ministers in CM Siddaramaiah’s new cabinet. They are expected to be sworn in during the oath-taking ceremony in Bengaluru’s Kanteerava stadium today.
Senior leaders MB Patil and G Parameshwara, a Lingayat and a Dalit leader, respectively, were among those who nursed ambitions of being named chief minister.
READ | ‘No controversy’: Karnataka CM hopeful Parameshwara on Cong impasse
Other names include KH Muniyappa, also a Dalit leader, who bagged a seat from the Devanahalli constituency. He is a former union minister and is known to be a Gandhi loyalist. KJ George, a five-term MLA who is also said to be close to the Gandhi family, is also named in the first list of cabinet ministers.
Satish Jarkiholi, also named in the list, won the Yemkanmardi assembly seat and is known for triggering a row with his controversial remarks on the word ‘Hindu’ back in November last year. He sparked state-wide protests after saying that the word ‘Hindu’ is of Persian origin and had a ‘horrible, shameful’ meaning.
READ | BJP leader gives his own definition of ‘Hindu’ in row over Cong leader’s remarks
Ramalinga Reddy, an eight-time MLA, has been named a cabinet minister with an eye on the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls, reports said. He is considered to be an influential leader, with experience in handling various portfolios.
BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, also in the list, is a close aide to Siddaramaiah and won from the Chamarajpet Assembly constituency. He is a JDS turncoat and is considered to be the tallest Muslim leader in the party’s Karnataka unit.