Karnataka ministry to be expanded today, Reddy brothers not to be included

BANGALORE: The D V Sadananda Gowda ministry in Karnataka will be expanded today with the induction of five more ministers, keeping out the mining magnates Reddy brothers and their close associate B Sreeramulu.

According to sources in the Chief Minister's Secretariat, Raju Gowda, C P Yogeshwar, Anand Asnotikar, Balachandra Jarkiholi and independent MLA Varthur Prakash are likely to be sworn-in this evening.

Karunakara Reddy and Janardhana Reddy, who were indicted in the Lokayukta report on the illegal mining issue and their close associate Sreeramulu are not likely to be inducted, sources said.

The three were ministers in BJP's first government in the South, headed by B S Yeddyurappa.

This is the second ministry expansion Gowda is carrying out after he inducted 21 ministers on August 8 in a hurried exercise.

Even after today's expansion, the ministry will have seven vacancies.

Gowda took oath as Chief Minister on August 4 following axing of B S Yeddyurappa by the party high command after a Lokayukta report on illegal mining indicted him.

Even as there are many ministerial berth aspirants within BJP, the party high command has chosen to accommodate Varthur Prakash, who has been supporting the government in tune with the promise held out to him earlier.

Sringeri MLA D N Jeevaraj, who recently quit as Government Chief Whip with hopes of joining the ministry, has not been chosen in today's round of expansion.

Governor H R Bhardwaj has been requested to administer oath of office and secrecy to new ministers in Raj Bhavan at 6 PM, the sources said.