Bengaluru: In a minor reshuffle in Karnataka, the health portfolio which was with B Sriramulu is likely to be transferred to Dr K Sudhakar the Medical Education minister, according to sources in the state government.
The health ministry has increasingly become important because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis with Karnataka registering the second highest number of cases in the country after Maharashtra. Sriramulu, an OBC leader who has been eyeing the Deputy CM’s post has been uncomfortable with the health portfolio and is believed to have been lobbying to be shifted out. Sudhkar a trained doctor by qualification, who currently holds the medical education portfolio, will get the health and family welfare ministry too.
Sriramulu is likely to be given the social welfare department which is currently with PWD minister Govind Karajol as additional charge. Earlier there were murmurs of disagreement in terms of Covid-19 handling strategy between Sriramulu and Sudhakar. A miffed chief minister BS Yediyurappa had even named primary and secondary education minister Suresh Kumar as the chief government spokesperson for all matter related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sudhakar had then denied any rift calling Sriramulu his ‘elder brother’.
A minister in the Yediyurappa government confirming the imminent change of portfolio however said, “It is being done at the request of Sriramulu himself. The larger reshuffle and expansion of the cabinet may now take place only after results of the Sira and RR Nagar assembly bypolls are declared next month.”
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