BENGALURU: Exactly ten days after they took oath as ministers in the JDS-Congress coalition cabinet, H Nagesh and R Shankar are likely to get their portfolios on Monday.The duo that was supposed to take charge of their ministries before Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy set out on this ‘Grama Vastavya’ had to wait for his return.
Shankar, who was dropped from the cabinet only to make a comeback months later after withdrawing support to the coalition, is likely to get municipal administration portfolio.Interestingly, Ramesh Jarkiholi held the ministry before he was dropped from the cabinet to make way for late C S Shivalli. Following Shivalli’s death, the ministry had been lying vacant and is likely to be given to Shankar. After all his hobnobbing with Ramesh Jarkiholi despite his open dissent against the Congress, it is ironic that Shankar is likely to get the same portfolio earlier held by Jarkiholi. Another ministry – primary and secondary education – that was left vacant after the lone BSP MLA N Mahesh quit from the cabinet, is likely to be given to Nagesh.
In his bid to ensure the stability of the coalition government, Kumaraswamy decided to give away one of the two cabinet berths under the JDS quota to an independent MLA. Mahesh had been accommodated in the cabinet under the JDS quota in keeping with the party’s pre-poll alliance with BSP. While any shift of portfolios is unlikely, sources in the JDS suggest that senior leader and higher education minister G T Devegowda is hoping for a change of portfolios.
While no assurance has come in from the Chief Minister yet, the Congress is not too keen on disturbing the delicate balance it has achieved.