Shettar is Karnataka CM, Promises Graft-Free Regime

Bangalore: Jagadish Shettar Thursday took oath as the Karnataka chief minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) third man in the post in four years, and promised a corruption-free, transparent and honest administration.

Also sworn-in were two deputy chief ministers - K.S. Eshwarappa and R. Ashoka - and 31 ministers, completing the ministry formation in one go to satisfy various factions in the party.

The state can have a 34-member ministry, including the chief minister, as the law limits the strength to 15 percent of the elected members of the assembly. The Karnataka assembly strength is 225, of which one is a nominated member to represent the Anglo-Indian community.

However, the BJP's plans still left many disgruntled with at least one legislator - Haladi Srinivas Shetty from the coastal area of Kundapur - breaking down at being denied a berth and his supporters shouting slogans against party leadership.

Trying to placate caste groups, the BJP, which came to power in the state for the first time in May 2008, has given Karnataka two deputy chief ministers for the first time.

The BJP's caste balancing act at the top level of government has already earned its new setup a nickname - LKG regime - L standing for Lingayat, K for Kuruba (shepherd community) and G for Gowda (Vokkaliga community).

Shettar is a Lingayat, Eshwarappa belongs to Kuruba community and Ashoka to Vokkaliga caste.

Shettar and members of his ministry were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor H.R. Bhardwaj at a simple ceremony at glass house in Raj Bhavan premises.

Addressing a press meet after the first cabinet meeting, Shettar said his first priority will be to tackle drought, particularly to provide drinking water that has hit more than half the state.

He appealed for cooperation from his ministers, party legislators and opposition parties in running the administration.

"I will strive to take all together and provide clean, corruption-free, honest and effective governance," Shettar said.

The new chief minister's stress on corruption-free administration comes against the backdrop of various scandals that rocked the BJP's first ministry headed by B.S. Yeddyurappa. He was forced to quit last July over mining charges.