BENGALURU: About two weeks after sworn in as 24th the Chief Minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy will expand his Cabinet on Wednesday.
As per the sources over 12 Congress MLAs are expected to take oath as ministers in the first expansion of the JD(S)-Congress led cabinet.
In addition nine Janata Dal Secular (JDS) MLAs will also take the oath. It is noted that the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers will be held at 2 pm at the Raj Bhavan in Karnataka's Bengaluru.
The swearing-in of new ministers comes a day after the list of 12 Congress MLAs was reportedly finalized in a meeting between the grand old party president Rahul Gandhi and senior state Congress leaders.
The Congress scion is considered to have given his approval to the list of around 12 ministers which also includes DK Shivakumar who is expected to get an important portfolio.
''Congress' DK Shivakumar, KJ George and Priyank Kharge will take oath as Karnataka ministers today, among others,'' as ANI tweeted.
Sources also claimed that the portfolio allocation finalized by Rahul Gandhi. This has been done with an aim to give equal representation to all sections and regions and keeping in mind the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
As per the allocation, the Congress had the charge of 22 ministries, including the Home, Irrigation, Health, Agriculture and Women Child Welfare Ministries. While 12 ministries, including Finance and Excise, Public Works Department, Education, Tourism and Transport Ministries was given to the JD(S).
