BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah allotted two of the key portfolios remaining with him to two of his cabinet colleagues -- MB Patil and Priyank Kharge -- on Wednesday. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot issued a notification in this regard.
Patil, who is the large and medium industries minister, has been given the additional responsibility of infrastructure. Priyank, son of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, has now been given the IT-BT portfolio along with the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.
Patil held the water resources portfolio in the earlier Siddaramaiah government during 2013-18. He had made a name for himself by implementing several projects.
In the JDS-Congress alliance government led by then CM HD Kumaraswamy in 2018 and 1019, he was the home minister (2018-2019). The Babaleshwar MLA is a civil engineer and runs a number of educational institutions in Vijayapura district.
Priyank held the IT-BT and tourism portfolios in 2016 and 2018. He was the youngest to be sworn in at the age of 38 then. He was later the social welfare minister in the Congress-JDS alliance government. After shedding the two portfolios, Siddaramaiah has continued with finance, cabinet affairs, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, intelligence, information and all unallocated portfolios. The chief minister has gotten rid of the two important portfolios as he has to focus on the budget, likely to be presented in the first week of july.
KANUGOLU TO BE APPOINTED ADVISER TO CM
Sunil Kanugolu, the poll strategist of the Congress, will be appointed as adviser to CM Siddaramaiah, with the rank of a cabinet minister. CMO sources said the appointment order will be issued. Kanugolu is said to have played a vital role in the Congress’ thumping victory in the Assembly polls. He helped the party set narratives against the BJP government and also gave inputs to state and central leaders on various issues, including the selection of candidates. Congress sources said the party’s state unit has decided to take his assistance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The party has set a target of winning 20 out of 28 LS seats in the state. After its stupendous performance in the Assembly polls, the Congress is keen to maintain its winning momentum in the state, and Kanugolu’s appointment as the CM’s adviser is also said to be part of that effort.