BENGALURU: In a bid to strengthen its base in the state capital, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday gave ministerial berths to six MLAs from the Assembly constituencies in Bengaluru in his Cabinet, including Zameer Ahmed Khan and Rizwan Arshad.
The move assumes significance as Bengaluru city houses 28 assembly constituencies, and elections to its five city corporations, part of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), are likely in December.
The Siddaramaiah government, too, had the same number of ministers from the capital city segments – Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byre Gowda, KJ George, Byrathi Suresh, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Zameer Ahmed Khan. In the new Cabinet, Rizwan Arshad replaced Dinesh Gundu Rao. Ramalinga Reddy and Zameer Ahmed Khan represent South Bengaluru, Krishna Byre Gowda and Byrathi Suresh represent North Bengaluru, while George and Rizwan Arshad represent East Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, the government’s move to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South has further strengthened the region’s political presence, with CM Shivakumar and newly inducted minister HC Balakrishna being identified with the Bengaluru South region. Shivakumar was Bengaluru development minister in Siddaramaiah government.
However, not all party MLAs are happy. Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa, who wanted a cabinet berth, was left out, triggering protests by his supporters. Former minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who represents the West-Central Bengaluru region, was also dropped from the cabinet.
Sources in the Congress said the exclusions are unlikely to affect the party’s prospects in the GBA elections, but could have implications in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.