GT Deve Gowda, Puttaraju among JD(S) pick for Cabinet

Bengaluru: The ruling Janata Dal (S), which has already bagged the coveted post of Chief Minister in the coalition government with the Congress, has finalised the names of nine ministers for the swearing-in ceremony which will take place on Wednesday. Interestingly, the JD(S), which is entitled to a total 12 ministerial berths including that of CM,  has preferred to keep two berths vacant 

The list of ministers of the JD(S) who will be sworn in on Wednesday are Mr H.D. Revanna (Holenarsipur), Mr S.R. Mahesh (KR Nagar), Mr G.T. Deve Gowda (Chamundeshwari), Mr C.S. Puttaraju (Melukote), Mr Satyanarayana (Sira), Mr Bandeppa Kashempur (Bidar), Mr Venkat Rao Nadagouda (Sindhanur), Mr H.K. Kumaraswamy (Sakleshpur) and BSP’s N. Mahesh. Earlier, it was speculated that both JD(S) MLAs elected from Raichur district would become ministers in the Kumaraswamy Cabinet.

The party had earlier planned to induct Mr Srinivas Gowda from Kolar in the Kumaraswamy Cabinet but this move has been scrapped and Sakleshpur MLA H.K. Kumaraswamy  will take his place. 

Mr Venkat Rao Nadagouda, who is a Lingayat MLA from Raichur, is also set to figure in the list of ministers.

Senior JD(S) leaders including Hunsur MLA A.H. Vishwanath and Mr H.K. Kumaraswamy (Sakaleshpur) would be sitting out but are resting their hopes on the three vacant spots which remain to be filled. 

Sources said that the party is planning to fill these vacancies only after the nominations to state-run boards and corporations are made, so that they have a chance to placate disgruntled MLAs. On Tuesday, senior JD(S) MLAS Mr G.T. Deve Gowda and Mr A.H. Vishwanath met Chief Minister Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy and held a brief meeting. 

While Mr Vishwanath did not speak to the media, Mr G.T. Deve Gowda refuted reports in a section of the media that there was a tussle going on  between him and Mr H.D. Revanna for the power and PWD portfolios.