Karnataka Cabinet expansion: disappointment among Congress MLAs turns into open dissent
The long-delayed expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet, carried out on Monday, has triggered widespread discontent within the ruling Congress. Several senior MLAs have expressed anger over being denied ministerial berths, and at least two legislators have threatened to resign from the Legislative Assembly.
The immediate flashpoint was the resignation of three-time Indi MLA Yashwanthrayagouda Patil, who submitted his resignation from the Assembly membership after being overlooked. Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna also announced that he would resign on Tuesday, escalating what was initially behind-the-scenes lobbying into open dissent.
Mr. Patil alleged that Industry Minister M.B. Patil had conspired to block his induction into the Cabinet. He said, "I have been in politics for four decades. I am hurt," adding that he was yet to decide whether to quit the Congress.
Mr. Gopalakrishna, who chairs the Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation, said he would resign both as MLA and as chairman. In an apparent reference to Minister Madhu Bangarappa, he remarked, "Only if you are the son of a Chief Minister or a Minister do you get a chance."
Besides Mr. Patil and Mr. Gopalakrishna, several other senior legislators, including Tanveer Sait, T.B. Jayachandra, B.J. Sangameshwara, N.Y. Gopalakrishna, Appaji C.S. Nadagouda, Hampanagouda Badarli, S.N. Narayanaswamy, M. Krishnappa and his son, MLA Priya Krishna, openly expressed disappointment over their exclusion. Some said they would consult their supporters before deciding their future course of action.
The sentiment soon spilled onto the streets. Supporters staged protests outside the Legislators' Home in Bengaluru, burned tyres in some constituencies, and raised slogans against the party leadership. In Bengaluru's Vijayanagar constituency, supporters of Mr. Krishnappa and Mr. Priya Krishna demonstrated demanding their inclusion. Similar protests occurred in Koppal district near the residence of MLA Raghavendra Hitnal. In Mysuru, supporters of Mr. Sait demanded his resignation from the Assembly; one supporter allegedly attempted suicide by consuming poison and was hospitalised. A supporter of Sindhanur MLA Badarli also reportedly attempted suicide.
The Cabinet composition has drawn criticism over regional and community representation. No woman or Brahmin MLA has found a place, and the districts of Kolar and Chickballapur have not been given any representation.
The list also exposed differences among the party leadership. Political observers noted that last-minute changes reflected friction between Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and the Congress high command. Gayathri Shanthegouda was reportedly dropped at Mr. Siddaramaiah's insistence, while Mankal Vaidya was replaced by S.S. Mallikarjun, reportedly at Mr. Shivakumar's instance. Mr. Siddaramaiah is understood to have favoured the induction of Byadgi MLA Basavaraj Shivannavar, who belongs to the Kuruba community. Apparently irked by the final list, Mr. Siddaramaiah did not attend the swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan.
Seeking to contain the rebellion, Mr. Shivakumar appealed to disappointed legislators to remain patient, recalling that he himself had not found a place in the initial Cabinet formations in 2004 and 2013.
Although the dissent does not pose an immediate threat to the government's stability, given the Congress's comfortable majority in the Assembly, it could undermine party cohesion, divert attention from governance, and provide the BJP and the JD(S) with fresh political ammunition. The Congress leadership is now expected to engage with the disgruntled MLAs to prevent further escalation.
