Karnataka: Siddaramaiah reallocates key IT portfolio to Priyank Kharge, MB Patil gets Infrastructure

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday reallocated Information Technology and Biotechnology ministry to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge. Currently, Kharge holds Rural Development and Panchayat Raj ministry. He had handled the IT department in the previous Siddaramaiah government. The IT portfolio is considered an important portfolio as Bengaluru is the IT capital of India. 

The chief minister has also allocated Infrastructure Development and the Large and Medium Industries portfolios to MB Patil. Both IT and Infrastructure portfolios were with Siddaramaiah. With this re-allocation, Siddaramaiah now holds Finance, Cabinet Affairs, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Intelligence, Information, and all unallocated portfolios. 

The re-allocation of ministries comes two days after Siddaramaiah allocated portfolios to ministers in his Cabinet. Siddaramaiah took the oath of office with Shivakumar and eight ministers on May 20. He subsequently expanded the Cabinet to its full strength by inducting 24 new ministers last Saturday after rounds of discussions with the central leadership of Congress.

Siddaramaiah gave the home ministry to G Parameshwara, Large and Medium Industries to MB Patil, and the Energy department portfolio to KJ Geroge.

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar got the all-important Major and Medium Irrigation and Bengaluru City Development, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. 

HK Patil has been allocated Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and Tourism while KH Muniyappa is the new Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs minister. Ramalinga Reddy has been made the minister for Transport and Muzrai. Dinesh Gundu Rao is the Health and Family Welfare minister while HC Mahadevappa has been given charge of Social Welfare. Public Works has been allocated to Satish Jarakiholi and Revenue to Krishna Byregowda.