Politics
DK Shivakumar Unveils 20-Member Karnataka Cabinet: Congress Bets on Fresh Faces as Several Veterans Miss Out
Congress finalises the long-awaited Karnataka Cabinet expansion with 20 ministers, one woman minister, and a balanced social representation, while several senior leaders are left out of the new team.
After months of political speculation and intense internal consultations, the Congress on Monday announced a major expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet, clearing 20 ministers for induction into the government led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
The newly inducted ministers are scheduled to take oath at 4:05 PM at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru, marking one of the most significant political reshuffles in the state since the Congress assumed power.
Congress Finalises 20 Ministers for Shivakumar Government
The final list of ministers received approval from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge following discussions with the party’s central leadership and senior Karnataka leaders.
The ministers inducted into the expanded Cabinet include:
- PM Narendraswamy
- Shivaraj Tangadagi
- Rudrappa Lamani
- KS Basavanthappa
- B Nagendra
- T Raghumurthy
- BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan
- Rizwan Arshad
- Santosh Lad
- Madhu Bangarappa
- C Puttarangashetty
- Mankala Vaidya
- Dr Ajay Singh
- N Cheluvarayaswamy
- KM Shivalinge Gowda
- HC Balakrishna
- Gayathri Shanthegowda
- Basavaraj Rayareddi
- Vijayanand Kashappanavar
- Laxman Savadi
Several of the selected leaders met former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ahead of the swearing-in ceremony.
Expressing gratitude after receiving official confirmation, Basavaraj Rayareddi thanked Chief Minister Shivakumar, Congress President Kharge, the party high command, and Siddaramaiah for reposing faith in him.
Gayathri Shanthegowda Becomes Sole Woman Minister
One of the notable aspects of the Cabinet expansion is the inclusion of Gayathri Shanthegowda, who will be the only woman minister in the newly expanded Council of Ministers.
The Congress has also attempted to maintain social and regional representation in the Cabinet.
According to the party, the new ministry includes:
- Seven Scheduled Caste (SC) ministers
- Three Scheduled Tribe (ST) ministers
- Five leaders from Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
- Seven Lingayat ministers
- Five Vokkaliga ministers
- Three Muslim ministers
In addition, Saleem Ahmed has been chosen by the Congress for the post of Chairperson of the Karnataka Legislative Council.
New Faces for Key Legislative Posts
Alongside the Cabinet expansion, the Congress also announced its choices for several important constitutional positions in the state legislature.
The party has nominated:
- GS Patil for Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly
- AS Ponnanna for Deputy Speaker
- Saleem Ahmed for Chairperson of the Legislative Council
- Umashree for Deputy Chairperson
The appointments are aimed at strengthening the party’s organisational balance across both Houses of the state legislature.
Several Senior Congress Leaders Miss Out
While many aspirants secured ministerial berths, the expansion also left out several experienced Congress leaders despite weeks of lobbying.
Those who did not find a place in the Cabinet include:
- HK Patil
- Dinesh Gundu Rao
- Lakshmi Hebbalkar
- Shivanand Patil
- RB Thimmapur
- RV Deshpande
- K Venkatesh
- Tanveer Sait
- HC Mahadevappa
Many of these leaders have previously served as ministers and were widely considered strong contenders for inclusion.
ALSO READ : ‘PM Enjoys Playing the Victim Card’: Jairam Ramesh Demands Modi’s Apology Over NEET, Ram Mandir Trust Row and Demonetisation
The Congress leadership has indicated that those left out may be assigned key organisational responsibilities or important government positions in the future.
Laxman Savadi Responds to Critics
Among the prominent entrants, Laxman Savadi used the occasion to respond to those who had opposed his inclusion in the Cabinet.“Those who opposed my appointment as a minister will get an answer after I take the oath today. They will realise it,” Savadi told reporters.
Savadi, who joined the Congress after leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections, thanked Chief Minister Shivakumar and the Congress leadership for honouring their commitment.
Meanwhile, first-time Cabinet minister Rizwan Arshad said the party leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi, had encouraged greater representation for younger leaders in government.
He also thanked Mallikarjun Kharge, DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, Randeep Surjewala, and K.C. Venugopal for recognising leaders who had grown through the Congress organisation.
Earlier, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge had acknowledged that selecting ministers was a difficult exercise due to the large number of capable legislators within the party.
With the Cabinet finally in place, the Shivakumar government is expected to focus on governance while managing internal party expectations following one of the most closely watched political reshuffles in Karnataka.
