Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (File photo)

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the portfolios of the newly sworn-in ministers will be allocated soon. Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "A full cabinet has been formed in the state. The allocation of portfolios will be done today or tomorrow. Apart from the chief minister's post, 33 seats are for cabinet ministers. The government has decided that the promises made by the people should be fulfilled," he said, explaining the structure of the new cabinet, saying it was a mix of new and old faces.

At the same time, he further said that those who won for the first time were not made ministers. There was some dissatisfaction that the districts have not been given representation. This time we followed certain standards. MlAs from many districts did not get the post of minister won for the first time, there was some resentment. There is comfort in some disappointments. Kodagu, Haveri, Hassan, Chikmagalur and other districts did not get representation and according to the CM it was done following certain criteria.

The expansion of the Congress government in Karnataka was done on Saturday with 24 MLAs taking oath as ministers and demanding representation by the party to different castes and groups. Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at the Raj Bhavan in Bangalore. The new cabinet has six members from the Vokkaliga community, eight from the Lingayats, four from the Scheduled Caste community, three from the Scheduled Tribes, two from the Muslim community and one from the Christian community. The Maratha and Brahmin communities have also got representation.

Twenty-three MLAs took oath in Kannada and one in English. While most of the MLAs took oath in the name of God, some took names of gods and goddesses and revered personalities. With this cabinet expansion, the Congress government in Karnataka has the full strength of 34 ministers, including the Chief Minister. However, replying to a media query about Puttarangshetty not accepting the post of Deputy Speaker, the chief minister said there would always be a sense of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. "There is also relief in discontent. I spoke to him last night and made it clear that he agreed."

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