Patel later told newsmen that Somashekar would be incharge of Revenue while Manjunath had been alloted the Forest portfolio. With their induction the strength of the ministry has risen to 40. Patel said, full-fledged expansion will take place on May 18, after the extended budget session which begins on April 15.

He did not elaborate the sudden need for a minor expansion. This expansion, seen as a move to assuage the ruffled feelings of dalits, comes close on the heels of the Lok Sabha polls in which the Janata Dal suffered a debilitating blow winning only three seats against the 16 it held previously.

Just before the Lok Sabha polls, four ministers quit and joined hands with Hegde. Doubts were expressed about Patel government's stability. However, an impressively won vote of confidence on January 28dispelled all doubts.

Manjunath, a former Karnataka Pradesh Janata Dal president and Legislative Council chairman, had maintained a low profile in recent months after leading a faction of MLAs opposed to Patel's leadership.

Ever since Patel assumed office in May 1996, apart from Somashekhar, two more dalit ministers had quit - K B Shanappa after failing to become a legislator and Ramesh Jigajinagi who joined hands with Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde.