Karnataka: Amid Covid crisis, Yediyurappa reshuffles Karnataka cabinet; makes K Sudhakar new health minister

BENGALURU: Subscribing to the philosophy of better late than never, chief minister

BS Yediyuappa

has taken the decision to divest his popular but ineffective health minister B Sriramulu of the

health portfolio

to manage the

Covid-19 pandemic

more efficiently.

In a minor but important cabinet reshuffle, CM Yediyurappa has replaced Sriramulu with colleague and Covid-19 affairs minister K Sudhakar as the new health minister.

In return, to placate the Ballari strongman, Sriramulu has been given the charge of the social welfare department (SWD) which was vested with deputy chief minister

Govind Karjol

.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the lack of coordination between the ministers in the Yediyurappa government had led to a series of setbacks for Karnataka’s fight aganst Covid-19.

While, initially, Sriramulu and Sudhakar were asked to co-ordinate in their fight and even formed a ministerial task force under the health minister, the move did not provide any respite.

Result: By March-end Sudhakar was officially given the responsibility of Covid-19 affairs minister.

However, according to CMO sources, the tussle between departments of medical education and health continued as Sudhkara did not have direct control over the department.

Now, officials suggest that, after the rap by PM Narendra Modi over the lacklustre performance of Karnataka in controlling the spiralling cases of the virus and increase in deaths, Yediyurappa decided to put Sudhakar in-charge of both the key departments of medical education and health.

However, with the move surely going to cause heartburn for Sriramulu, Yediyurappa has managed to wrest the social welfare department from DCM Karjol and hand it to the former health minister.

Considering that the social welfare portfolio is one of the largest departments with overriding powers over other departments when it comes to expenditure under the SCPTSP act for scheduled castes and tribes in the state, it is considered as a move to placate the popular Valmiki leader.

Confirming that the decision has taken place, DCM Karjol told TOI: “The CM discussed with me on this issue and I have given my complete consent. An official order to this effect will be issued by Monday.”

According to Karjol, Sudhakar has earned the respect of being a capable medical professional in the cabinet and thus can give justice to health and medical education in times of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.

“As for the social welfare department, it was always an additional portfolio with me. With Sriramulu also being the minister for backward classes it was the best possible decision to hand me social welfare as well,” said Karjol.

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