Bengaluru: Along with newly sworn-in Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, eight Cabinet Ministers took oath on Saturday. Following is a brief background of the new Cabinet Ministers:
- G Parameshwara:
*Headed Congress’ manifesto committee ahead of this Assembly election
*Belongs to SC-Right community, represents Koratagere constituency in Tumakuru district
*Former Deputy Chief Minister during Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by H D Kumaraswamy. Minister with various key portfolios including Home, Higher Education among others in earlier governments
*Longest-serving Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief for eight years
*Open about aspiration for CM and Deputy CM post
*Six-time MLA — three times each from Madhugiri and Koratagere
*Has a PhD in plant physiology from Waite Agriculture Research Centre of the University of Adelaide
- K H Muniyappa:
*Congress leader from SC-Left, represents Devanahalli Assembly segment in Bengaluru Rural district.
*Seven-time Member of Lok Sabha representing Kolar from 1991 to 2019
*Former Union Minister
*Elected for the first time to Legislative Assembly.
*Daughter Roopakala M Shashidhar is MLA from Kolar Gold Fields (KGF)
- K J George
*Christian face of Congress, represents Sarvagnanagar Assembly segment in Bengaluru city.
*Six-time MLA.
*Considered close to CM Siddaramaiah.
*Has served as Minister for Home, Bengaluru Development and Town Planning among other portfolios in the past
*Born in Kerala, his family moved to Kodagu when he was very young.
- M B Patil:
*Considered as a prominent face of Congress from the dominant Lingayat community
*President of BLDEA (Bijapur Lingayat Education Association), a leading education organisation in north Karnataka region
*Congress’ campaign committee President ahead of this election
*Represents Babaleshwar Assembly constituency in Vijayapura district
*Five-time MLA
*Had been Minister for Home and Water Resources in previous governments
*Had served as Member of Parliament from Bijapur (Vijayapura)
- Satish Jarkiholi
*From Valmiki community, which comes under STs
*Represents Yamakanmardi Assembly constituency in Belagavi district
*Karnataka Congress Working President
*Four-time MLA, twice MLC
*Was with JD(S) earlier
*His brothers Ramesh Jarkiholi and Balachandra Jarkiholi are BJP MLAs from Gokak and Arabhavi legislative constituencies respectively.
*Had served as Minister for Excise and Textile in the past
*Popular for his anti-superstition stand
*Founder-chairman of sugar manufacturing firm Satish Sugars
- Priyank Kharge
*Son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge
*Member of Dalit community under SC-Right, represents Chittapur segment in Kalaburagi district
*He is Chairman – Communications of Karnataka Congress
*Three-time MLA
*Had served as Minister for IT, BT, Tourism and Social Welfare in the past
*Associated with Youth Congress
- Ramalinga Reddy:
*Belongs to Reddy community, represents BTM Layout in Bengaluru city
*Considered among Congress’ faces for the city. Has earlier been in-charge of the city
*Karnataka Congress Working President
*Eight-time MLA
*Served as Minister of Home, Transport, Education and other key portfolios in the past
*Was associated with Congress’ students wing for a long time
- B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan:
*Prominent Muslim leader in Congress, represents Chamrajpet Assembly segment in Bengaluru city.
*Five-time MLA
*Had served as Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Hajj and Waqf
*Earlier with JD(S).
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