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Karnataka's lone Cabinet berth keeps Congress leadership in a bind
The final Cabinet berth remains vacant as Congress weighs competing political interests while discontent grows among leaders left out.
More than 48 hours after Karnataka’s Cabinet expansion, the lone vacant ministerial berth has become Congress leadership’s key political decision, with competing demands over caste representation, factional equations and former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s influence converging on a single unresolved appointment, leaders in the know said on Wednesday.
The uncertainty surrounding the 34th berth has also fuelled unrest within the ruling party, where disappointed legislators and their supporters have staged protests across the state over being left out of the ministry.
Siddaramaiah backs Shivannanavar
Leaders in the know said Siddaramaiah had personally recommended Byadgi MLA Basavaraj Shivannanavar for the remaining Cabinet position. His appearance alongside Shivannanavar at a public event on Tuesday only added to speculation that the former chief minister continues to back his candidature.
The post under consideration changed during the final round of consultations before the Cabinet was announced with MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda’s name removed.
Shivannanavar neither confirmed nor denied that he was being considered. “We have to wait and see what the high command decides,” he said.
A senior leader said Siddaramaiah has since remained in touch with both Shivannanavar and MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda, whose expected induction into the Cabinet was halted at the last moment. Those conversations, they said, are aimed at containing resentment on both sides while the leadership works towards a political compromise.
One proposal under discussion, according to leaders in the know, is to appoint Gayathri Shanthegowda as the chief minister’s political secretary. Such an arrangement would give her a key political role while leaving the Cabinet vacancy available for a Kuruba leader from North Karnataka.
Asked about the proposal, Shanthegowda said, “I cannot comment on this right now.”
Also read: Karnataka CM Shivakumar expands cabinet, raises presence of Muslims and Dalits
Gender, caste equations complicate choice
The debate extends beyond accommodating individual leaders. If Shivannanavar or other candidate (Raghavendra Hitnal or Gaviyappa HR) is chosen, the number of backward class ministers in the Cabinet would increase to seven, further strengthening the representation of the Kuruba community, which forms a key part of Siddaramaiah’s political base.
At the same time, replacing Shanthegowda with a Kuruba MLA would leave the expanded Cabinet without a single woman minister, exposing the government to criticism over women’s representation.
“Siddaramaiah’s argument is that the inclusion of another Legislative Council member from the Kuruba community is unnecessary because his son, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, already serves in the ministry as an MLC. He argues a MLA from the community should be the minister. That objection contributed to Shanthegowda’s swearing in being withheld at the last moment,” said senior leader, who didn’t want to be named.
The unresolved appointment is expected to dominate discussions during the visit of AICC general secretary and Karnataka in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is scheduled to meet chief minister DK Shivakumar, KPCC president BK Hariprasad and Siddaramaiah before the party takes a final call on the remaining vacancy.
Also read: No women included as Karnataka cabinet under DK Shivakumar gets 19 new members
Unrest grows within Congress
The political uncertainty has unfolded alongside growing anger among Congress legislators who failed to secure ministerial berths.
In Chikkaballapura district, supporters of Bagepalli MLA SN Subba Reddy enforced a dawn to dusk bandh across Bagepalli, Chelur and Gudibande, shutting shops, blocking roads, stopping KSRTC buses and burning tyres while demanding that he be inducted into the Cabinet.
Police intervened in Gudibande after a supporter allegedly attempted self-immolation by pouring petrol on himself during the protest. Officers stopped the attempt before taking him into custody.
In Gadag, supporters of senior Congress MLA HK Patil submitted the resignations of 22 local Congress representatives after he was overlooked during the Cabinet expansion. Seventeen of those resigning were elected members while the remaining five were nominated representatives.
Leaders estimate that more than 22 Congress MLAs and their supporters have expressed dissatisfaction over being denied ministerial berths, with some questioning the selection process and others threatening resignation.
Chief minister DK Shivakumar dismissed those warnings on Tuesday. “The party is important. If they resign, it will be accepted within a few minutes,” he said.
The Cabinet expansion also drew criticism from the opposition.
BJP targets Congress over Cabinet expansion
BJP state president BY Vijayendra alleged that the exercise was driven by “money power, factional politics and the Congress high command” rather than governance. He questioned the re induction of B Nagendra despite judicial proceedings related to the alleged Valmiki Development Corporation scam and accused the Congress of abandoning its claims of providing a corruption free administration.
Vijayendra also cited public remarks made by several Congress leaders unhappy with the Cabinet formation, saying they reinforced his earlier allegation that “the date was not fixed because the rate was not fixed.”
Accusing the Congress of failing its own promise on women’s empowerment, he added: “You, who spoke grandly about women, opposed the central government’s women’s bill, and now in the cabinet, you’ve given a place to just a single woman. What kind of concern is this for women’s issues?”
