Karnataka's new ministers, a run-through

A brief background of the Karnataka's new cabinet ministers.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (Photo | PTI ) 

BENGALURU: Along with newly sworn-in Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, eight Cabinet Ministers took oath on Saturday.

Following is a brief background of the new cabinet ministers:

1. G Parameshwara:

• Headed Congress' manifesto committee ahead of this Assembly election
• Belongs to SC-Right community, represents Koratagere constituency in Tumakuru district
• Former Deputy Chief Minister during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy.
• Minister with various key portfolios including Home, Higher Education among others in earlier governments
• Longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief for eight years
• Open about aspiration for CM and Deputy CM post *Six-time MLA -- three times each from Madhugiri and Koratagere
• Has a PhD in plant physiology from the Waite Agriculture Research Centre of the University of Adelaide

2. K H Muniyappa:

• Congress leader from SC-Left, represents Devanahalli Assembly segment in Bengaluru Rural district.
• Seven-time Member of Lok Sabha representing Kolar from 1991 to 2019
• Former Union Minister
• Elected for the first time to Legislative Assembly.
• Daughter Roopakala M Shashidhar is MLA from Kolar Gold Fields (KGF)

3. K J George:

• Christian face of Congress, represents the Sarvagnanagar Assembly segment in Bengaluru city.
• Six-time MLA.
• Considered close to CM Siddaramaiah.
• Has served as Minister for Home, Bengaluru Development and Town Planning among other portfolios in the past
• Born in Kerala, his family moved to Kodagu when he was very young.

4. M B Patil:

• Considered a prominent face of Congress from the dominant Lingayat community
• President of BLDEA (Bijapur Lingayat Education Association), a leading education organisation in the north Karnataka region
• Congress' campaign committee President ahead of this election
• Represents Babaleshwar Assembly constituency in Vijayapura district
• Five-time MLA
• Had been Minister for Home and Water Resources in previous governments
• Had served as a Member of Parliament from Bijapur (Vijayapura)

5. Satish Jarkiholi:

• From Valmiki community, which comes under STs
• Represents Yamakanmardi Assembly constituency in Belagavi district
• Karnataka Congress Working President
• Four-time MLA, twice MLC *Was with JD(S) earlier
• His brothers Ramesh Jarkiholi and Balachandra Jarkiholi are BJP MLAs from Gokak and Arabhavi legislative constituencies respectively.
• Had served as Minister for Excise and Textile in the past
• Popular for his anti-superstition stand
• Founder-chairman of sugar manufacturing firm Satish Sugars

6. Priyank Kharge:

• Son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge
• Member of Dalit community under SC-Right, represents Chittapur segment in Kalaburagi district
• He is Chairman - Communications of Karnataka Congress
• Three-time MLA
• Had served as Minister for IT, BT, Tourism and Social Welfare in the past
• Associated with Youth Congress

7. Ramalinga Reddy:

• Belongs to the Reddy community, represents BTM Layout in Bengaluru city
• Considered among Congress' faces for the city.Has earlier been in charge of the city
• Karnataka Congress Working President
• Eight-time MLA
• Served as Minister of Home, Transport, Education and other key portfolios in the past
• Was associated with Congress' student's wing for a long time

8. B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan:

• Prominent Muslim leader in Congress represents Chamrajpet Assembly segment in Bengaluru city.
• Five-time MLA
• Had served as Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Hajj and Waqf
• Earlier with JD(S).