CM to expand his Cabinet tomorrow 

Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, in all probability, will expand his Cabinet tomorrow (Aug. 3), in a simple ceremony planned at the Glass House of Lok Bhavan at 5 pm. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot  will be administering oath to the new Ministers. It is almost certain that 18 members will be inducted into the Cabinet. 

Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), has made all the arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony and is most likely to send invitations to those chosen by the Government. 

Chief Minister is learnt to have advised the Home Ministry to ensure that there will be minimum crowd during the swearing-in, to avoid any chaos, in the wake of Cauvery inter-State water dispute, that has resurfaced.  

The supports of new Ministers have been strictly told to refrain from planning any celebrations outside Lok Bhavan, especially by bursting fire crackers. 

Following hectic parleys being witnessed with the Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and their loyalist MLAs, huddled up in Delhi for the past one week, the list of Ministers, who are finalised, is expected to be brought by AICC General Secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (Karnataka in-charge) to Bengaluru tonight (Aug. 2), after obtaining the approval of Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, it is said. 

Probable Ministers 

C.S. Nadagowda, Tanveer Sait, Lakshman Savadi, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, C.S. Puttaranga Shetty, H.R. Gaviyappa, Yashwanthraya Gowda Patil, H.C. Balakrishna, Sharath Bachegowda, T. Raghumurthy, K. Shivalingegowda, Prasad Abbayya or P.M. Narendra Swamy.