Cabinet expansion and reshuffle; 3 new ministers to join CM's cabinet today

Bengaluru: Final cabinet expansion and reshuffle of the Siddaramaiah led Congress government will be held on Friday evening at 5 pm at glass house of the Rajbhavan and it is confirmed that three ministers are joining the state cabinet.

According to the communication sent from the Chief Minister's Office to Rajbhavan, R B Thimmapur (SC-left), H M Revanna (Kuruba) and Geeta Mahadeva Prasad (Lingayat) are joining the state cabinet. With this expansion, all the cabinet berths in the Siddaramaiah cabinet will be filled.

According to the sources in the cabinet, H M Revanna is expected to get forest department while incumbent forest minister Ramanatha Rai expected to be promoted as either home or transport minister. R B Thimmapur will get excise department and Geeta Mahadevaprasad will get her late husband's portfolio- cooperative department.

Geeta Mahadeva Prasad is the first time MLA. "But, the CM wants her in the cabinet to ensure that he will get Lingayat community support to the party in the old Mysuru region in the upcoming assembly election," said sources.