Karnataka Cabinet Expansion: Several Senior Congress Leaders Left Out of New Ministry

Karnataka's Cabinet expansion sees 20 MLAs set to take oath as ministers, while several senior Congress leaders, including Laxmi Hebbalkar and Dinesh Gundu Rao, miss out. Supporters staged protests as the new ministry takes shape.

The much-awaited Karnataka Cabinet expansion is set to take place on Monday, with 20 MLAs scheduled to be sworn in as ministers at a ceremony in Bengaluru. The final list of ministers was approved by the Congress high command in New Delhi after several rounds of deliberations and has reportedly been conveyed to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. While the new Cabinet includes several fresh faces and expected entrants, it has also excluded a number of senior leaders, triggering disappointment within the party and protests by supporters in some areas.

Several Senior Leaders Miss Out

The final list has excluded several prominent Congress leaders who were widely expected to secure Cabinet berths.

Those who have reportedly missed out include:

• H.K. Patil 
• S.S. Mallikarjun 
• Laxmi Hebbalkar 
• H.C. Mahadevappa 
• Shivanand Patil 
• R.B. Timmapur 
• Dinesh Gundu Rao

Tanveer Sait Supporters Stage Protest

Former minister Tanveer Sait is among those who have publicly expressed disappointment over not being included in the new Cabinet.

Following the announcement, his supporters staged protests on M.G. Road in Udayagiri and gathered outside his residence, raising slogans and demanding justice.

List of MLAs to Be Sworn In

The following MLAs are set to take oath as Cabinet ministers:

1. M. Narendra Swamy 
2. Shivaraj Tangadagi 
3. Rudrappa Lamani 
4. S. Basavanthappa 
5. B. Nagendra 
6. T. Raghumurthy 
7. B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan 
8. Rizwan Arshad 
9. Santosh Lad 
10. Madhu Bangarappa 
11. Puttarangashetty 
12. Mankala Vaidya 
13. Dr Ajay Singh 
14. N. Chaluvaraya Swamy 
15. K.M. Shivalinge Gowda 
16. H.C. Balakrishna 
17. Gayatri Shanthegowda
18.  Basavaraj Rayareddy 
19. Vijayanand Kashappanavar 
20. Laxman Savadi 

Swearing-in Ceremony

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4.05 pm on Monday.

Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala is expected to arrive in Bengaluru, reportedly carrying the official list of the newly inducted ministers.

Security Tightened Around Lok Bhavan

Preparations for the oath-taking ceremony are in the final stages at Lok Bhavan.

Barricades have been erected around the venue, while a large contingent of police personnel has been deployed to maintain security and manage traffic. Several roads in the vicinity of Lok Bhavan have been closed, and senior police officers are monitoring the security arrangements ahead of the high-profile event.