Karnataka Cabinet Expansion Sparks Congress Dissent

• Congress approves induction of 20 legislators into Karnataka Cabinet.
• Several senior MLAs express disappointment after missing ministerial berths.
• Shivakumar urges disgruntled leaders to remain patient, promising future opportunities.
• Protests erupt as legislators raise concerns over inadequate regional representation.

GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 3rd Aug: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday appealed to disgruntled Congress leaders to remain patient after the long-awaited Cabinet expansion triggered protests, resignation threats and discontent among legislators who failed to secure ministerial berths.

Responding to the growing dissent, Shivakumar acknowledged that several deserving and senior leaders could not be accommodated, saying the party had to make its choices after considering multiple factors.

“There are many deserving and senior leaders. I do not deny that. However, the party has to take decisions based on various considerations,” Shivakumar told reporters while heading to Lok Bhavan after sending the final list.

Drawing on his own political experience, the Chief Minister said he too had remained outside the Cabinet despite expecting a ministerial position.

“I was not inducted into the Cabinet in 2004. Even during former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s tenure, I remained out of the Cabinet for a long time. I remained patient, and it is because of that patience that I am in this position today,” he said.

Shivakumar assured disappointed legislators that opportunities would be created for them in due course and urged party leaders to exercise restraint.

Despite Shivakumar’s appeal, resentment surfaced across several districts.

Six-time MLA Tanveer Sait, who missed out on a Cabinet berth, said he would decide his next course of action after consulting his supporters.

Five-time MLA Hampanagouda Badarli expressed disappointment over the absence of representation for Raichur district in the expanded ministry.

In Bengaluru, supporters of Govindarajanagar MLA Priya Krishna staged protests after neither he nor his father, senior Congress MLA M. Krishnappa, was included in the Cabinet.

Congress legislators from Kolar and Chikkaballapur are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss what they see as inadequate regional representation. Leaders from Gadag and Vijayanagar have also voiced dissatisfaction.

The expansion ended months of speculation after the Congress high command approved the induction of 20 legislators as ministers, with the leadership seeking to balance experienced politicians with fresh faces.

The inclusion of senior Congress MLA and former minister B. Nagendra has also attracted attention, with the Opposition expected to target the government over allegations linked to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation case.

The final list reportedly underwent last-minute changes, with Mankal S. Vaidya being dropped and former minister S.S. Mallikarjun included instead.

The changes intensified resentment within the Congress, with some disappointed legislators reportedly threatening to resign their Assembly seats and supporters staging protests.