25 ministers to take oath on Saturday in Siddaramaiah's cabinet: Report

Karnataka's new Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government to have 25 ministers who will take oath on Saturday, reported NDTV citing sources.

The report further added that the names of the ministers have been finalised in the meeting between the new Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar along with central leaders of the party in the national capital.

Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar took oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister on May 20. Eight MLAs -- including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge -- also took oath along with them for ministerial posts, the report said.

Even after Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have taken charge, there has been no allocation of the portfolios, a move which has drawn criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In the absence of a Lingayat chief minister, speculations are that some ministerial portfolios will go to Lingayat MLAs, which is the most politically crucial community in the state of Karnataka.

According to the report, allocating portfolios can prove to be a tricky job for Congress, given that the party needs to maintain a balance while representing the communities. 

On Thursday, Congress leaders held discussions over cabinet expansion in the state of Karnataka. Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar along with Surjewala then held a meeting at the party's Gurudwara Rakabganj Road office and discussed the names that could be included in the expanded Cabinet of the state.

On May 13 when the results of the Karnataka assembly elections were announced, Congress won 135 seats in the state, following which a political drama was witnessed on who will become the new chief minister.