K'taka Cabinet expansion today

Nearly a year after assuming power, the Janata Dal (Secular)-BJP coalition government in Karnataka is set to undertake the final expansion of the council of ministers on Thursday.

At present, the strength of council of ministers, including the chief minister and the deputy chief minister, stands at 29. The upper limit for the council of ministers as per norms is 34.

From the JD(S), G T Deve Gowda (Mysore district), former minister Alangur M Srinivas (Kolar district) and H S Mahadev Prasad (Chamarajanagar district) may be inducted into the council of ministers.

Former chief minister J H Patel's son Mahima Patel, now a legislator, is also in the reckoning, according to JD(S) sources.

The BJP quota stands at two and S Shivanna (Tumkur district) and Rajendra Verma (Bidar district) may become ministers.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new ministers will take place on Thursday. The Cabinet may also be reshuffled with the induction of new ministers, the sources stated.