BENGALURU: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who inducted seven new ministers recently, has reshuffled his cabinet for a record third time in just five days. On January 21, he carried out his first reshuffle and as loud grumbling and complaining arose from the ministers, he reshuffled the cabinet again on January 22. With no let-up in the complaints, he has now been forced to reshuffle the portfolios again for the third time. Each time, the central leadership of the party had been consulted.
After the reshuffle number three on Monday, J C Madhuswamy gets Tourism, Ecology and Environment while Anand Singh gets Infrastructure Development and Haj and Wakf and Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar has retained Medical Education which he was divested of on 21 January, according to an order signed by the governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday.
It may be remembered that after careful consultations with the party and the central leadership, CM B S Yediyurappa had carefully carried out his reshuffle handing out portfolios about a week after seven new ministers were inducted into his cabinet.
In this reshuffle Minister Anand Singh who lost Forest to Arvind Limbavali got Tourism and Environment and Ecology while J C Madhuswamy who lost Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation got Medical Education and Kannada and Culture. Health Minister Dr K.Sudhakar had been divested of Medical Education. K C Narayana Gowda who lost Municipal Administration got Youth and Sports, Haj and Wakf.
On 22 January, under pressure he again made changes and rejigged the cabinet and J C Madhuswamy was given Haj, Wakf and Medical Education while Arvind Limbavali got Forest and Kannada and Culture. KC Narayana Gowda got Youth Sports and Planning while he lost Haj and Wakf to Madhuswamy.
While the ministers were not available for comment on the rejig, health department officials said they are relieved that Sudhakar has been given back the medical education portfolio. They said Sudhakar had held the portfolio earlier and was given health to manage COVID-19 better but considering the large scale of vaccinations that are being carried out, it would be difficult to separate the two portfolios.
There is no clarity still if this will be the last reshuffle or more changes can be expected in the coming days as some are continuing to grumble.