Karnataka: Siddaramaiah inducts S R Patil into ministry

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Bangalore, May 25, 2013: Amid discontent among MLCs jostling for ministerial berths, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday expanded his council of ministers by inducting S R Patil, a former leader of opposition.

Mr Patil was administered the oath of office by Governor H R Bhardwaj at the Raj Bhavan.

 

The induction of Mr Patil, who enjoys a good equation with the Chief Minister, has apparently angered other MLCs who were in the race for the berth, Congress sources told PTI.

MLCs Veeranna Mathikatti and C Motamma recently met AICC President Sonia Gandhi in Delhi, requesting her to give the berth to any senior member in the Cabinet.

Mr Patil (65), a Lingayat MLC for the third term, is a law graduate, whose present term will end in 2016. He is the only member from the Upper House to get a ministerial berth as of now. He had served as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council during the former Bharatiya Janata Party Government.

In the first round of the ministry formation last Saturday, Siddharamaiah had inducted 28 ministers. With Mr Patils induction, the strength of the council of ministers has reached 30.

There are four more berths to be filled by the Chief Minister, who is facing much pressure from senior Congress leaders like D K Shivakumar, Mattikatti, A Manju and Motamma to induct them into the ministry.