Bangalore : Bruised and battered on leadership issue, the ruling BJP in Karnataka is now in the thick of another muddle with new Ministers haggling for prime portfolios.

The newly-sworn in Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has been in consultation with party leaders and new Ministers over the allocation of portfolios which was yet to be finalised.

Mr Shettar declared his top priority would be to mitigate the sufferings of the people in drought-hit areas as the state was looking ahead for one of the worst-ever drought conditions due to failure of monsoon.

But over the last three days, he spent a lion's share of time in discussing allocation of departments to his colleagues in the 34-member ministry.

The delay has already resulted in deferring the Legislature Session to July 19 from July 16.

Even as the bargining for portfolios is on, disgruntled legislators who had been denied a berth in the ministry are holding meetings at the residence of former minister K Karunakara Reddy to decide their next course of action though they have vowed that they would not pull down the government.