DK Shivakumar Keeps Finance, Priyank Kharge Is Karnataka's New Home Minister

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has kept the finance, cabinet affairs, intelligence, and the personnel and administrative reforms portfolios for himself, while the other key departments have been allocated to the other members of his cabinet.

G Parameshwara, the deputy chief minister, will be in charge of the revenue and sports departments.

Priyank Kharge, son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, has been given the home department (excluding intelligence). He will also hold charge of the information technology and biotechnology and e-Governance portfolios.

Shivakumar and 13 other MLAs had taken oath as ministers yesterday, after Siddaramaiah resigned from the top post in line with the Congress agreeing to a change of guard in Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah's son Yathindra, now part of Shivakumar's cabinet, has been given the urban development portfolio.

KH Muniyappa will head the food and civil supplies and consumer affairs departments while KJ George will hold energy and tourism portfolios. MB Patil will be in charge of the large and medium industries and infrastructure development departments.

Ramalinga Reddy has been allocated the major and medium irrigation portfolio, while Satish Jarkiholi heads the public works department. Krishna Byre Gowda has been given charge of the Greater Bengaluru Development portfolio.

UT Khader will head the health and family welfare department, and Eshwar Khandre will head the rural development and panchayat raj portfolios.

The transport department has been given to Byrathi Suresh, while Sharan Prakash Patil has been made the in-charge of the medical education and skill development departments.

Shivakumar will be in charge of other unallocated departments.

Earlier in the day, hectic meetings took place at Vidhana Soudha involving Shivakumar, Ramalinga Reddy, and Krishna Byre Gowda, amid a buzz that Reddy was unhappy with the portfolio allocated to him. Sources indicated that the senior Congress leader was hoping to be entrusted with the Bengaluru development portfolio, which has been assigned to Gowda.