Bringing an end to months of political speculation, the Congress high command on Monday approved the expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet, paving the way for the induction of 20 legislators as ministers in the D.K. Shivakumar-led government. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at 4.05 p.m. at the Lok Bhavan premises in Bengaluru, according to an official communication issued by the Chief Minister's Office. The move fills long-pending vacancies in the state ministry and marks a significant organisational reshuffle.
The approval for the Cabinet expansion was conveyed by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal through a letter addressed to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, stating that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had cleared the proposal. Along with the ministerial appointments, the party also finalised key legislative positions. Senior Congress leader G.S. Patil has been nominated as the new Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, while A.S. Ponnanna will serve as Deputy Speaker. Saleem Ahmed has been appointed Chairperson of the Legislative Council and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson.
The 20 legislators set to join the Cabinet include P.M. Narendraswamy, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Rudrappa Lamani, K.S. Basavanthappa, B. Nagendra, T. Raghumoorthy, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rizwan Arshad, Santosh Lad, Madhu Bangarappa, Puttarangashetty, Mankala Vaidya, Ajay Singh, N. Chaluvarya Swamy, K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, H.C. Balakrishna, Gayathri Shanthegowda, Basavaraj Rayareddi, Vijayanand Kashappanavar and Laxman Savadi. Several of the inductees have previously served as ministers in earlier Congress governments.
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The Cabinet expansion follows weeks of consultations between the Chief Minister, senior state leaders and the Congress leadership in New Delhi. The exercise had been delayed due to competing demands over regional, caste and factional representation within the ruling party. By filling all vacant ministerial berths, the Congress aims to ensure broader representation across communities and regions while strengthening the government's administrative capacity.
Reacting to his inclusion in the Cabinet, former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi thanked the Congress leadership and Chief Minister Shivakumar, stating that those who had opposed his appointment would receive their answer after the oath-taking ceremony. Karnataka Home, Information Technology and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge welcomed the expansion, stating that a full-strength ministry would improve governance and enhance the functioning of the state government by enabling the Chief Minister to lead a complete Cabinet more effectively.
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