Politics
DK Shivakumar Expands Karnataka Cabinet… 20 Ministers Sworn In as Congress Fills Key Constitutional Posts
The Congress has completed a major cabinet expansion in Karnataka, inducting 20 legislators and appointing senior leaders to key legislative positions after months of internal consultations.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday expanded his ministry by inducting 20 legislators into the state cabinet, bringing the Congress-led government to its full sanctioned strength.
The long-awaited expansion comes after several months of discussions within the party leadership, aimed at ensuring balanced representation across regions, communities, and political groups in the state.
20 New Ministers Take Oath
The newly inducted ministers are:
- P M Narendraswamy
- Shivaraj Tangadagi
- Rudrappa Lamani
- K S Basavanthappa
- B Nagendra
- T Raghumoorthy
- Z Zameer Ahmed Khan
- Rizwan Arshad
- Santosh Lad
- Madhu Bangarappa
- Putturangashetty
- Mankala Vaidya
- Dr Ajay Singh
- N Cheluvarayaswamy
- K M Shivalinge Gowda
- H C Balakrishna
- Gayathri Shanthegowda
- Basavaraj Rayareddi
- Vijayanand Kashappanavar
- Laxman Savadi
The expansion marks the culmination of an extensive consultation process within the Congress, with the leadership seeking to strike a balance between experience, regional representation, and caste equations.
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Key Legislative Posts Also Filled
Alongside the cabinet reshuffle, the party also announced appointments to several important constitutional positions in the state legislature.
- GS Patil has been appointed as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
- AS Ponnanna will serve as the Deputy Speaker.
- Salem Ahmed has been named Chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council.
- Umashree has been appointed as the Deputy Chairperson of the Council.
These appointments complete the government’s efforts to fill major legislative offices alongside the cabinet expansion.
Months of Deliberations Behind the Move
The cabinet expansion follows prolonged consultations between the Karnataka Congress leadership and the party’s central leadership.
According to party sources, the exercise was aimed at accommodating various political interests while ensuring equitable representation from different parts of the state and among diverse social communities.
Congress Focuses on Strengthening Governance
With the ministry now at full strength, the DK Shivakumar-led government is expected to focus on governance, policy implementation, and delivering on its electoral commitments.
The latest appointments are also seen as an effort by the Congress to strengthen its organisational and administrative structure ahead of future political challenges in the state.
