BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan has been given Housing, while KH Muniyappa will handle Social Welfare. MB Patil will continue with Commerce and Industries, while Ramalinga Reddy has been allocated Forest, Ecology and Environment. Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi said he was comfortable with the responsibility, having handled the department earlier. The higher education department is one of the wider departments. Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre said discussions were held on the political situation in the state, Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and drought-related measures.