Karnataka chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Monday allocated portfolios to new ministers while retaining with him the departments of finance, mines, information and tourism.

In announcement of the portfolios tonight after the expansion of the five-day old ministry with the induction of 21 ministers, all the ministers, who were part of previous the B S Yeddyurappa government, have retained the same departments held by them earlier.

The move is apparently aimed at avoiding any room for dissatisfaction.

R Ashoka has been given the key portfolio of home along with transport, both of which he held in the previous government also.

Jagadish Shettar, who was a hot contender for the chief ministership but lost to Gowda in a secret ballot, retains rural development and panchayati raj.

V Somanna, whose name also figured in the lokayukta report on illegal mining that led to the exit of Yeddyurappa, gets housing.

The lone woman minister Shobha Karandlaje has been alloted energy, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs.

Gowda is also holding several other departments including cabinet affairs, department of personnel and adminsitrative reforms, urban development, minority welfare, revenue, health and family welfare.

With the chief minister stating that the next round of expansion would take place within a week, he would apparently shed most of the portfolios after the exercise.