Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 3 (ANI): Congress high command on Monday approved the expansion of the DK Shivakumar-led Karnataka Cabinet, clearing the names of 20 ministers, including one woman, Gayathri Shanthegowda.
The expanded ministry includes 12 new faces, while eight incumbent ministers have been retained.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot approved the Cabinet expansion. The state Cabinet increased the size of the ministry to the full limit of 34, including the chief minister.
Among those sworn in were PM Narendraswamy, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Rudrappa Lamani, KS Basavanthappa, B Nagendra, T Raghumoorthy, BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rizwan Arshad, Santosh Lad, Madhu Bangarappa, Putturangashetty, SS Mallikarjun, Ajay Singh, N Chaluvaraya Swamy, KM Shivalinge Gowda, HC Balakrishna, Gayathri Shanthegowda, Basavaraj Rayareddi, Vijayanand Kashappanavar and Laxman Savadi.
Among the approved names, Gayathri Shanthegowda is the only woman minister. The list also includes several new entrants to the cabinet, including PM Narendraswamy, KS Basavanthappa, T Raghumoorthy, Putturangashetty, Ajay Singh, and Gayathri Shanthegowda, while several former ministers are making a return to the Council of Ministers.
The Congress high command also approved appointments to key positions in the Karnataka Legislature. GS Patil has been cleared for the post of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, AS Ponnanna for Deputy Speaker, Saleem Ahmed for Chairperson of the Legislative Council, and Umashree for Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council.
Addressing reporters after taking the oath, Congress leader N Chaluvarayaswamy said, “Our Chief Minister DK Shivakumar ji and our leader Rahul Gandhi ji, along with the Congress high command, have selected my name. I am truly thankful to all of them. Whatever responsibility the Chief Minister gives me, I will justify it and do my best to fulfil it…”
Further, Congress leader PM Narendraswamy expressed happiness after taking the oath as a Minister in the Shivakumar-led government and said he would work to form the government in the future 2028 elections.
“I am happy to take the oath as a minister…We will work together to strengthen the party and form the government in the future 2028 elections. At the same time, our dream is to see our leader Rahul Gandhi become the Prime Minister of the country in the 2029…” Narendraswamy told ANI.
Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi said, “…The 60% representation for OBC, SC, and ST communities has also been fulfilled. Whatever was required for the Congress has been achieved. Now, everyone has got an opportunity to work. Our goal is development and the 2018 elections, and we will work towards that…”
Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “It is a well-balanced cabinet with young and old ministers… Earlier there were two women in the cabinet; now one more has been added. A lot of aspirants are there. But the opportunity is only for 34 people… They have tried to accommodate district-wise or region-wise, and we have to see religion and community…”
Congress leader HC Balakrishna said, “I’m very happy. The responsibility is greater on me now. We want to build a strong organisation. We want to serve the people now. We want to come back to power in the 2028 elections, so we want to strengthen the Chief Minister.”
However, several senior Congress leaders, including HK Patil, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Shivanand Patil, RB Thimmapur, RV Deshpande, K Venkatesh, Krishnappa, Tanveer Sait, Appaji Nadagouda and HC Mahadevappa, were left out of the expanded ministry.
Many of these leaders have previously served as ministers in Congress governments and were considered strong contenders for Cabinet berths. Their exclusion has sparked discussions within the party over the balance between experience, regional representation and community considerations in the allocation of ministerial positions.
The expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet has triggered discontent among several senior Congress leaders who were left out of the ministry, with some questioning the selection process and others expressing disappointment over their exclusion.
Senior Congress leader Yashvantharayagouda V Patil resigned as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly after being left out of the State cabinet expansion. He submitted his resignation to the Secretary of the Karnataka Assembly.
Congress MLA TB Jayachandra questioned the expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet, saying voters in his constituency were asking him to resign and alleging that the new ministry lacked experience, ability and administrative capacity.
“This cabinet expansion is being questioned, especially by the voters of the state and the constituencies…People from our community and from our region are coming forward and pressing to resign…I am one of the senior-most leaders in Karnataka. However, the aspirations of the voters in my constituency have still not been properly utilised…It does not feel like a Congress government; it appears more like an all-party government. There is a lack of experience, ability, and administrative capacity…What is the yardstick being used to select ministers? Every hour, there seems to be a change in the ministry. What impression does this create?… It is not just me. It is the voters of my constituency who are asking me to resign,” Jayachandra said.
Senior Congress leader and six-time Gandhinagar MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao expressed deep disappointment over his exclusion from the Karnataka cabinet, questioning the lack of transparency in the decision-making process while reaffirming his unwavering loyalty to the party and his constituents.
In a post on X, the veteran politician highlighted his extensive track record within the Congress organisation, tracing his ascent from the Youth Congress to leadership roles at the District, State (KPCC), and national (AICC) levels.
“It is disappointing that after so many years of service to the state and the party, I have not been considered to serve the government in this cabinet. I am disappointed by decisions taken without being given any reason for my exclusion,” Rao stated.
“Throughout my career in politics, I have been extremely grateful to serve the people of Karnataka – as an MLA and as a Minister, working on initiatives I truly believe have made a difference on the ground. Being a six-time MLA is only possible because of the trust people keep placing in me, and that means everything. My commitment to the Congress party and to my constituents has never wavered. I’ve held various positions right from Youth Congress to District Congress, KPCC and AICC. At the end of the day, I’ve worked hard, been fiercely loyal, ideologically clear, and given my best for the people who’ve stood by me – that’s what matters most to me,” he added.
Congress MLA NY Gopalakrishna said, “…It is unfortunate that senior leaders are being overlooked, while younger leaders are being given importance and senior leaders are being humiliated. This is the reality we are witnessing…We are hurt…We have not taken any decision yet. First, we will seek the opinion of the people. We cannot take any decision without considering their views…The high command itself has brought us to this level.” (ANI)
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