K’taka new minister’s portfolio allocation will be done on Monday: BSY

Bengaluru, Feb 08: Amid growing pressure from newly inducted ministers for plum ministries, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday said the portfolio allocation will be done on February 10.

According to the PTI, Karnataka CM said, "Everything is ready but since today (Saturday) is a holiday, we will allot portfolios on Monday morning."

On Thursday, BSY had announced that the portfolios will be allotted before Saturday, during rewarding with Cabinet berth 10 defectors who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and come to power.

Yediyurappa also ruled out going to Delhi to decide filling the remaining six vacant ministerial posts.

According to report, it is said that Yediyurappa apparently has deferred the portfolio allocation allegedly due to pressure from Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi.

Jarkiholi has been insisting upon water resource department since a long time. Whereas, the BJP leadership wants to give him public works department.

According to PTI, till early hours on Saturday Jarkiholi had a detailed discussion at Yediyurappa's house and left the place displeased.

The cabinet expansion on Thursday led to discontent among a section of "native" BJP leaders who were left out of the exercise as the party sought to contain dissidence in the face of intense lobbying for berths by several contenders.

The expansion has taken the strength of the Cabinet to 28, with six vacancies now. In the first expansion last August, 17 ministers were inducted.