Kumaraswamy inducts five more ministers, no place for women

Bangalore, Jan 25 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today effected the much-delayed expansion of the JD(S)-BJP coalition Ministry by inducting five Ministers -- three from JD(S) and two from BJP.

Governor T N Chaturvedi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the members at a simple ceremony at the Raj Bhavan. With this, the strength of the government rose to 34 with the two coalition partners sharing 16 berths each.

The new ministers, all of cabinet rank, were S Shivanna and Appasaheb Mallappa Pattanshetty of the BJP, and R Srinivas, G T Devegowda and Mahadev Prasad of the JD(S). Mr Srinivas and Mr Mahadev Prasad had been ministers in the previous Congress-JD(S) government.

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamuy, his deputy B S Yediyurappa, and other senior ministers, including Revenue minister Jagadish Shettar, Home Minister M P Prakash and legislators and supporters of both BJP and JD(S) were present on the occasion. None of the leaders of the main opposition Congress party were present at the Ceremony held amidst tight security arrangements.

The expansion was the third to be effected by Mr Kumaraswamy who along with Mr Yediyurappa assumed power on February three last year after JD(S) withdrew from the Congress led coalition government headed by Mr Dharam Singh.

When asked about non representation of the fair sex in the ministry, Mr Kumaraswamy put the blame on ''compulsions of coalition politics.'' ''I am pained for not including women in the council of Ministers. The government had actually done better than the previous ones in implementing several welfare measures for women,'' he told newsmen.

On non-inclusion of members belonging to minority and backward class in the expansion, he retorted ''there are no vacancies to accommodate them''.

He said the portfolio of the new ministers would be announced by evening.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the process of appointment of Chairman and President to various Boards and Corporation would be completed shortly. BJP has submitted its list and JD-S list would be ready within two days, he added.

UNI