IndiaPost.com - First-ever BJP ministry takes oath in Karnataka

BANGALORE: Scripting a new chapter in Karnataka's political history, a 30-member BJP ministry led by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa was sworn-in here last week ushering in saffron party's first ever government in south India.

Yeddyurappa, who led the party to victory in the recent assembly polls, took oath in the name of farmers and God on his second innings as Chief Minister, a post from which he was unceremoniously toppled six months ago, a week after assuming office when its erstwhile ally, JDS, withdrew support. However, Yeddyurappa, 66, had to do a balancing act to form his ministry today as he inducted five independents to be part of his 30-member cabinet to cross the magic figure of 113 in the 224-member Assembly.

Though BJP emerged victorious at the hustings, winning 110 seats, it fell short of a simple majority, necessitating to seek support of the independents. The 29 who were sworn-in as cabinet rank ministers are: Govind M Karjol, K S Eswarappa, V S Acharya, Mamtaz Alikhan, C M Udasi, R Ramachandra Gowda, R Ashok, S A Ravindranath, G Janardhana Reddy, Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, B N Bacchegowda, G Karunakara Reddy, Basavaraj Bommai, Shobha Karandlaje, B Sreeramulu, S Suresh Kumar, Krishna Palemar, Revunaik Bilamagi, Venkataramanappa, Aravind Limbavali, Krishnaiah Shetty, P M Narendra Swamy, H Halappa, D Sudhakar, Goolihatti D Shekar, M Rudrappa Nirani, Lakshman Savadi, S K Bellubbi and Shivaraj Tangadagi. Governor Rameshwar Thakur administered the oath of office and secrecy to Yeddyurappa and 29 ministers on the portals of the Vidhan Soudha, the state secretariat.

The function was attended by a galaxy of leaders, including BJP president Rajnath Singh, L K Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Gopinath Munde, Maneka Gandhi and thousands of saffron party activists.

JD (U) leader George Fernandes, with whose party BJP refused to ink seat-sharing pact in the polls, also attended. The assumption of office by BJP ministry today brought to an end the six-month long President's Rule in the state which was imposed on November 20 after the saffron party-led government collapsed on November 19. In a tactical political move, BJP awarded cabinet berth to five of the independents out of six who have been extending support to the government.