Cabinet expansion: BJP correcting regional imbalance, says Yatnal

Bijapur, June 21: Expressing satisfaction over the expansion of the JD (S)-BJP coalition ministry in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal today thanked party leaders for accommodating legislators from the backward North Karnataka districts in the cabinet.

Talking to reporters here, he said the party leaders had responded to his demand in this regard and given an opportunity to two BJP legislators from the region. By giving a chance to Mr Revunaik Belagami from Gulbarga and Shashidhar A Naik from Belgaum to become cabinet ministers, the party had taken the first step towards correcting regional imbalance, he added.

The over four-month-old Kumaraswamy-led cabinet was expanded today by inducting four ministers each from both the parties.

Referring to the Krishna project, Mr Yatnal said ''The interim verdict given by the New Krishna Tribunal has saved our water share'' and urged the state govenrment to complete all irrigation projects in the Krishna basin on a warfooting to safeguard the interests of farmers of North Karnataka region.

UNI