Karnataka CM Yediyurappa reshuffles cabinet for second time in 3 days

Bengaluru, 26 Jan 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday shuffled some members of his cabinet yet again, making it the second change in two weeks, since he expanded his cabinet on January 13. It was only on Friday that the CM had reallocated some portfolios owing to dissidence and now, on Monday, he changed portfolios of three ministers. 

Among the changes, Dr K Sudhakar, the Health Minister, has been given back the Medical Education Department after it was allocated to JC Madhuswamy on January 23. Sudhakar had publicly expressed his apprehension that the handling of the Medical Education Department by a different minister may negatively impact the ongoing vaccination drive.

"Separating Health and Medical Education ministries could weaken the state's vaccination effort, as 60% of district hospitals are under the latter and the remaining under the former," Sudhakar had told reporters on Saturday. 

In another change made on Monday, Madhuswamy, who was stripped off his prime portfolios of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation on January 13 has now been given the Tourism Department and Ecology and Environment Departments. On Friday, Madhuswamy was allocated the Kannada and Culture department in lieu of Hajj and Waqf portfolio along with Medical Education on January 13.

In the process, Anand Singh who was previously holding portfolios of Ecology and Environment Departments, had been given Infrastructure Development Department and Haj and Waqf Department. The government was in the face of criticism of giving him this portfolio as he was arrested in connection with an illegal mining scam.

On January 13, CM Yediyurappa had inducted seven new ministers — Umesh Katti, Aravind Lumbavali,  MTB Nagaraj, CP Yogeshwar, R Shankar, S Angara and Murugesh Nirani after a 17-month-wait. 

However, BSY has kept high profile portfolios like Finance, Bengaluru Development, Energy and Intelligence with himself.