The Congress’ long-awaited Karnataka cabinet expansion, finalised after nearly 60 days of consultations with the All-India Congress Committee, has run into controversy with last-minute changes, internal resentment and protests from party leaders and supporters. The AICC released a list of 20 ministers on Monday, but the day was marked by confusion and political drama.
The first list circulated during the day included the name of Mankal Vaidya. However, within a short time, a revised list was issued, replacing him with senior leader SS Mallikarjun, who had also served as a minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government.
The confusion did not end there. Gayathri Shanthegowda, the only woman minister in the revised list of 20, did not take the oath of office at the ceremony held at Lok Bhavan. Sources said she did not receive a call from Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to attend the ceremony and is now likely to be replaced, raising fresh questions over the final composition of the cabinet.
The developments have triggered discontent within the Congress.
MLA Yashwant Rayagouda Patil submitted his resignation from the assembly after being denied a cabinet berth. Sources also indicated that Belur Gopalakrishna is considering a similar move.
Supporters of MLAs Priya Krishna and Tanveer Sait staged protests after their leaders failed to find a place in the ministry, reflecting growing dissatisfaction among sections of the party.
Senior Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao also publicly expressed his disappointment over being excluded from the cabinet. His omission is particularly significant as it leaves the DK Shivakumar-led cabinet without any representation from the Brahmin community.
“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. That being said, I will continue to work for my people and towards the betterment of Karnataka,” Gundu Rao said in a social media post.
His wife, Tabu Rao, was even more critical of the party’s decision-making, posting: “At a whim people are sacrificed! Finally it comes down to caste and not work!!! Pity!!”
Another notable omission from the cabinet was AS Ponnanna, who was widely expected to represent the Kodava community in the ministry after more than two decades without cabinet representation from Kodagu.
A former Additional Advocate General and legal adviser to Siddaramaiah, Ponnanna had left his legal career to join active politics in the Congress. Instead of a cabinet berth, he has been appointed Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. Sources said the decision has left both Ponnanna and sections of the Kodava community disappointed.
Interestingly, sources indicated that Chief Minister DK Shivakumar himself was unhappy with several of the names included in the final list approved by the AICC. Sources further said that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, too, was taken aback by the inclusion of some leaders while a few others he backed were left out.
The developments underscore the extent to which the final list was shaped by the party’s central leadership after weeks of consultations and lobbying.
With changes, confusion, resignations and protests emerging within hours of the announcement, the political fallout from the cabinet formation appears far from over.
