Bengaluru, August 3: The path for the expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet has been cleared. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the inclusion of new ministers in the Karnataka government. A list of 20 ministers has been sent to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
According to an official announcement from the Chief Minister’s office, the swearing-in ceremony for the new cabinet ministers will take place at 4:05 PM in the Lok Bhavan complex.
The new ministers include P.M. Narendraswami, Shivraj Tangadagi, Rudrappa Lamani, K.S. Basavantappa, B. Nagendra, T. Raghumoorthy, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rizwan Arshad, Santosh Lad, Madhu Bangarappa, Putturangashetty, Mankala Vaidya, Dr. Ajay Singh, N. Chaluvarayaswamy, K.M. Shivlinge Gowda, H.C. Balakrishna, Gayatri Shantegouda, Basavaraj Rayareddy, Vijayanand Kashappanavar, and Lakshman Sawadi.
Additionally, the Congress President has approved G.S. Patil as the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly and A.S. Ponnanna as the Deputy Speaker. Saleem Ahmed has been appointed as the Chairman of the Legislative Council, while Umashree will serve as the Deputy Chairman.
This expansion comes just two months after Shivakumar assumed the role of Chief Minister. His 14-member council took the oath on June 3, leaving 20 ministerial positions vacant. The expansion, which had been delayed multiple times due to internal discussions and the need for approval from the Congress high command, is now finalized. It is expected to fill several vacant ministerial posts and balance regional, caste, and political equations within the ruling Congress party.
Reacting to his inclusion in the cabinet, former Deputy CM and Congress MLA Lakshman Sawadi stated that those who opposed his candidacy would receive their answer today.
Sawadi told reporters, “Those who opposed my appointment as a minister will realize their mistake after my swearing-in today. I received a call from the Chief Minister earlier. The national leadership and the Chief Minister assured me, and they have kept their promise. I thank Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.”
Commenting on the cabinet expansion, Karnataka’s Home, IT, and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge stated, “The cabinet should function in its full capacity. A complete cabinet will strengthen the Chief Minister and improve the government’s functioning.”
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