BENGALURU: After his party minister G T Devegowda said he was not interested in the higher education portfolio, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has decided to keep it to himself. On Wednesday, the CM held a meeting with the department officials. Gowda was absent at the meeting.
“I have decided to keep the higher education portfolio with me and this will not be transferred to anyone else. I will hold the portfolio of higher education as long as I am the chief minister,” the CM told reporters.
The portfolio was first given to GT Devegowda, but he refused to take it even after Chief Minister tried to convince him. According to party sources, Devegowda will be given either excise, which is currently with the CM or cooperative portfolio, which has been allocated to Bandeppa Kashempur. Kashempur, however, has taken charge of his department and has also started implementing new ideas.
“Higher education is a vast department. More concentration is needed there. I have knowledge of the department and can handle it better,” he said. However, the CM already has many portfolios, including finance, and it may be difficult for him to give adequate time to the higher education department. Experts say higher education is not just a department with policies and schemes, it deals more with human resources and students.