Bangalore, June 8: The year-old Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka would be expanded for the second time June 12, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said Saturday.
“The Governor (Vajubhai Vala) has fixed the time at 11:30 a.m. June 12 for the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan,” Kumaraswamy tweeted in Kannada.
Though the Chief Minister has not mentioned how many legislators would be inducted as Ministers to expand the cabinet, a party source hinted that at least three would take oath to fill the vacancies. “Of the three vacancies, two are from the JD-S quota and 1 from the Congress,” the source told IANS on condition of anonymity. Of the 34-member Ministry, the JD-S has filled 10 of the 12 cabinet posts and the Congress 21 of the 22 posts, as per the power-sharing agreement of the post-poll allies which is proportionate to their strength in the state Assembly.
As per the amended Constitution, a state government is entitled to have a 34-member Ministry, which is 15 per cent of the 225-member state legislative Assembly.
In the 225-member Karnataka Assembly, including one nominated from the Anglo-Indian community, the BJP has 105, Congress 78, excluding Speaker, JD-S 37, one from regional outfit Karnataka Pragyavantara Janata Paksha (KPJP), one from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one Independent.
In the May 19 by-elections for two Assembly seats, the BJP wrested the Congress seat in Chincholi while the Congress retained the Kundgol Assembly segment in Hubli district.
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