BENGALURU: The much-awaited Karnataka Cabinet expansion will take place today after the Congress high command, including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, approved the list of 20 MLAs to be sworn in as ministers at a meeting in Delhi on Monday morning.
Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot will administer the oath of office to the new ministers at the Glass House in Lok Bhavan at 4.05 p.m.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who took oath on June 3 along with 13 ministers, will now head a full-fledged 33-member Cabinet.
Former minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, the Chamrajpet MLA, who had missed out in the first phase owing to his alleged anti-party activities during the Davanagere South Assembly bypoll, has managed to secure a berth this time. The high command, particularly K.C. Venugopal, is understood to have taken into account his contribution to the party during the Kerala Assembly elections.
Another former minister, B. Nagendra, the Ballari Rural MLA, who had to resign from the previous Siddaramaiah Cabinet following allegations of his involvement in the multi-crore Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation scam, has also made a comeback.
In a surprise move, Chikkamagaluru MLC A.V. Gayathri Shanthegowda, a Kuruba leader and a close associate of Siddaramaiah, will be inducted into the Cabinet. She recently won a legal battle against M.K. Pranesh, who had earlier been declared elected in the Chikkamagaluru local bodies constituency. Her induction is being seen as a reward for that victory.
Among the prominent legislators set to become ministers are Jewargi MLA Ajay Singh, son of former Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, and former Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi, who switched from the BJP to the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. Arasikere MLA K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, who defected from the JD(S), has also secured a place in the Cabinet.
MLAs Madhu Bangarappa, Mankal Vaidya, Santhosh Lad and N. Chaluvaraya Swamy, who served as ministers in the previous Siddaramaiah government, will once again join the Cabinet.
Among the prominent leaders who missed out are former ministers Lakshmi Hebbalkar, H.K. Patil, Dr M.C. Sudhakar and Dr H.C. Mahadevappa.
Although the party high command sought to strike a balance by ensuring representation for various communities and regions, Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts have been left without representation in the Cabinet.
"This will affect the party's prospects in the future," said Bangarpet MLA S.N. Narayanaswamy, who had emerged as a strong contender for a Cabinet berth but missed out at the last minute.
The list of ministers;
1. PM Narendraswamy(Malavalli)
2. Shivaraj Thangadagi (Kanakagiri)
3. Rudrappa Lamani (Haveri)
4. KS Basavanthappa (Mayakonda)
5. B Nagendra (Ballari rural)
6. Raghumurthy(Challakere)
7. Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamarajpet)
8. Rizwan Arshad(Shivajinagar)
9. Santhosh Lad (Kalaghatagi)
10. Madhu Bangarappa (Soraba)
11. Puttrangashetty(Chamarajanagara)
12. Mankal Vaidya (Bhatkal)
13. Ajay Singh (Jevargi)
14. N Chaluvaraya Swamy(Nagamangala)
15. K M Shivalinge Gowda (Arasikere)
16. HC Balakrishna (Magadi)
17. Basavraj Rayareddi(Yelaburga)
18. Gayathri Shanthegowda(Chikkamagaluru MLC)
19. Vijayanand Kashnappanavar(Bagalakote)
20. Lakshman Savadi(Athani)
Ron MLA from Gadag district G S Patil has been chosen for the Assembly Speaker's post and Virajpet MLA A S Ponnanna for deputy speaker post, according to sources.
