Senior Congress leader and former governor Margaret Alva has expressed disappointment over the absence of women's representation in the newly formed Karnataka Cabinet led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The cabinet, which was sworn in on Wednesday along with 13 ministers, has drawn attention for its composition, which is being viewed as an attempt to balance political factions, castes, and communities within the state unit of the Congress party. However, the lack of any woman minister has triggered criticism from within the party itself.

Alva took to social media platform X to voice her concerns, stating that she would have liked to see at least one woman included in the new Cabinet. She congratulated Chief Minister Shivakumar on his appointment and extended her best wishes to his team but simultaneously flagged the absence of women as a disappointing omission. Her remarks have added to the ongoing discussion around gender representation in political appointments.

The Karnataka Cabinet, in its initial phase, includes no women despite the Congress having several female legislators in the state. At present, the party has four women MLAs and five women MLCs, all of whom were reportedly eligible for ministerial consideration. Despite this, none were inducted in the first round of cabinet formation, raising questions about internal selection priorities.

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Among those seen as strong contenders were experienced leaders such as MLC Umashree and MLA Laxmi R Hebbalkar, both of whom have previously held ministerial responsibilities. Hebbalkar, in particular, has served as Minister for Women and Child Development in the Siddaramaiah-led government, making her exclusion more notable in the current political context. Their omission has intensified scrutiny of the decision-making process behind the cabinet lineup.

Party insiders, however, suggest that the absence of women in the first list may not be permanent, as Chief Minister Shivakumar still has multiple ministerial berths to fill in the coming expansion phases. The Karnataka Cabinet can accommodate up to 34 ministers, leaving scope for further inclusion. This has led to expectations that women's representation may be addressed in subsequent rounds of appointments.

While the initial composition has sparked criticism for its optics, observers note that the final structure of the Cabinet is yet to be completed. The issue has nonetheless reignited broader debates within the Congress and political circles about ensuring adequate gender representation in leadership roles and decision-making bodies.

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