Senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy is the new Home Minister of Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inducted three other ministers into the cabinet on Friday – H M Revanna, MLC R B Thimarpur, and Geetha Mahadeva Prasad is the first time MLA from Gundlupet. They took oath at the Raj Bhavan later in the day.
Ramalinga Reddy will hand over his present transport ministry to H M Revanna, who has been newly inducted into the cabinet. The post of home minister was lying vacant ever since KPCC president resigned so as to focus on the Congress party in view of the Assembly elections in 2018. MLC R B Thimarpur, a Dalit leader has been made the minister for Excise. Geetha Mahadeva Prasad who registered a thumping victory in the Gundlupet bypoll has been given sugar and small scale industries portfolio. Ramanath Rai was a contender to the Home portfolio but the Chief Minister decided on handing the portfolio to Ramalinga Reddy.