Independent MLAs R Shankar and Nagesh took oath as Karnataka ministers

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy added two new members to his cabinet, both independent legislators, on Friday to provide some solidity to the JD(S)-Congress coalition government, hobbled by persistent discontent over prominence and ministerial berths.

Governor Vajubhai Vala administered the oath of office and secrecy to the two MLAs, R Shankar and H Nagesh , at a short ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

After initially supporting the alliance, Shankar and Nagesh had aligned with a group of Congress rebels led by disgruntled party man and former state minister Ramesh Jarkiholi. This was when BJP's 'Operation Lotus', aimed at dislodging the alliance through desertions, was underway. The group holed up in a Mumbai hotel just before Kumaraswamy presented his budget in February.

Shankar and Nagesh declared they would withdraw their support to government, but did not go ahead with it as Jarkiholi failed to bring more MLAs on board to topple the government.

The two netas' return to the JD(S)-Congress fold and their appointment as cabinet ministers will ease some tensions, though several key figures in both camps are still upset about being overlooked for a role in government. Around a dozen Congress MLAs, including Ramalinga Reddy, HK Patil, K Sudhakar, BC Patil, are expected to convey their displeasure to the party.

