The cooperative sector has had its share in the Karnataka Cabinet formation as a few ministers who took oath on Saturday as ministers are diehard co-operators. Prominent among them are H K Patil and K N Rajanna.
Nafcub Chairman Emeritus and Karnataka State Urban Cooperative Banks Federation H K Patil was sworn in as the Minister of Law and Parliament Affairs, legislation, Minor Irrigation. Interestingly, Patil’s name was cleared for the top post by the Congress High Command as he maintained distance from in-fightings going on in the state party.
Another noteworthy name is K N Rajanna who took oath as the State Cooperation Minister. Rajanna is the former Chairman of Karnataka State Cooperative Apex Bank. He is the President of Tumkur DCCB. He also served as the Director of Nafed and Cooperative Bank of India. His son Rajendra Rajanna is on the board of Kribhco.
Besides, former Chairman of Bidar Sahakari Sakkare Karkhane Eshwar Khandre took oath as the Minister of Forest, Ecology & Environment. Vijaypur District Central Cooperative Bank President Shivanand S Patil was sworn in as the Minister for Textiles, Sugarcane Development & Sugar, Agriculture Marketing.
The other two including Ms. Laxmi R Hebbalkar and D Sudhakar from the cooperative background took the oath of office and secrecy on Saturday. Ms. Hebbalkar was given the charge of Women & Child Development, Disabled & Senior-Citizens Empowerment while Sudhakar was sworn in as the Minister of Infrastructure Development, Planning & Statistics.
On Saturday, 24 MLAs were sworn in as state ministers at the Raj Bhavan. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah kept most of the key ministries with himself whereas a Deputy CM DK Shivkumar got the Major & Medium Irrigation, Bengaluru City Development.
Readers would recall that several co-operators connected with Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), who tried their luck in the Karnataka assembly elections, had romped home while a few failed to win the elections.
Some of the notable winners included Nafcub’s H K Patil, Karnataka State Cooperative Bank Former President K N Rajanna, National Cooperative Housing Federation Director S T Somashekhar, Shri Beereshwar Cooperative Credit Society Director Shashikala A. Jolle, Karnataka Cooperative Milk Federation (Nandini) Chairman Balachandra Jarkiholi and others.
