Date:10/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/10/stories/2006021024870500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Kumaraswamy may fill all slots in one go

S. Rajendran

February 15, 16, or 17 are tentative dates fixed for Ministry expansion

JD(S) members of Dharam Singh Ministry may find place in the new ministry

The two coalition partners ready with list of chairmen for boards and corporations

Bangalore: The H.D. Kumaraswamy Ministry will be expanded with a full complement of ministers next week — the tentative dates being February 15, 16 or 17 based on the schedule of Governor T.N. Chaturvedi who is away in New Delhi and on return has programmes in Mangalore and Belgaum.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy told The Hindu that the Janata Dal (Secular) is ready with its list of legislators to be sworn-in as ministers and those to be appointed as chairmen of boards and corporations.

"We are ready with the list and would like to push through with the expansion at the earliest. All our legislators know my predicament. There is no pressure on me."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too is ready with its list and senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu spent time today with the State leaders here to finalise the list.

The BJP leadership was keen that the preparation of the list should begin after the Government wins the vote of confidence in the Legislative Assembly. The thumping majority of the new Government received in the early hours of Thursday has created a wave of enthusiasm.

It is said that the BJP list is likely to be vetted by the central leaders after Mr. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa call on the BJP top brass in New Delhi shortly.

Mr. Kumaraswamy was scheduled to call on the former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and L.K. Advani on February 1 but the programme was put off following criticism.

A section of the Janata Dal (S) leaders had preferred that he meet the BJP leaders after being sworn-in as Chief Minister.

Sources in the Janata Dal (S) told The Hindu that all party members of the Dharam Singh Ministry who resigned and supported Mr. Kumaraswamy will find a place in the ministry.

They are N. Cheluvarayaswamy, C. Channigappa, D.T. Jayakumar, Basavaraj Horatti, R. Srinivas, B. Satyanarayana, Iqbal Ansari and Amaregouda Bayyapur. Efforts are on to request the former Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash to join the ministry and he has been assured of a weighty portfolio.