New Delhi: He has kept his ministers without portfolios for eight days, but when it came to choosing his department, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa decided to keep all the important portfolios with himself.
The Chief Minister has chosen to keep under him 10 departments including Finance, Urban Development, Mines and Geology.
The allocation of portfolios well past mid-night on Saturday was also a pointer to an exercise in which the Chief Minister has established full control over the government by awarding some key departments to his trusted men, which has left few seniors fuming.
Yeddyurappa has given the much sought after Home Ministry portfolio to Dr VS Acharya, who is a member of the Upper House, rejecting claims by senior leader KS Eswarappa and even the Bellary strong men Reddy brothers – G Janardhana Reddy and G Karunakara Reddy.
The Urban Development portfolio for which there were several contenders has remained with the Chief Minister, but Yeddyurappa's man R Ashok has managed to get Transport department.
Eswarappa, a bete-noire of Yeddyurappa has been cut to size, as he got Energy, much against his wishes as the prominent backward class leader had set his eyes on either Home or at least to retain his previous portfolio of Water Resources.
Reddy brothers who had played an instrumental role in luring six independents to support the BJP government, had been demanding Home, Mines and Geology portfolios, going by their interest in mining.
Yeddyurappa took oath as chief minister on May 30 along with 29 ministers, but hectic lobbying from the influential mining and real estate lobbies allegedly delayed the portfolio allocation.
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