Karnataka Cabinet expansion: 20 Ministers take oath; DKS hits back on ministerial berth row

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Aug 4, 2026: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday expanded his Cabinet to its full sanctioned strength, inducting 20 new ministers in a swearing-in ceremony held at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru.

The ceremony took place after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot approved the Cabinet expansion. With the latest induction, the Council of Ministers has reached its maximum strength of 34, including the Chief Minister.

The newly inducted ministers are 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, Putturangashetty, S.S. Mallikarjun, Dr Ajay Singh, N. Chaluvaraya Swamy, K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, H.C. Balakrishna, Gayathri Shanthegowda, Basavaraj Rayareddi, Vijayanand Kashappanavar and Laxman Savadi.

The Congress high command also cleared key appointments in the state legislature. G.S. Patil was named the new Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, while A.S. Ponnanna was appointed Deputy Speaker. Saleem Ahmed will serve as Chairman of the Legislative Council and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson.

Two MLAs resign over Cabinet exclusion

Hours before the swearing-in, Congress MLAs Yashavantarayagouda V. Patil (Indi) and Belur Gopalakrishna (Sagar) resigned from the Assembly after being denied ministerial berths.

Patil alleged that his name had figured in the list of ministers until Monday morning but was dropped from the final list.

Claiming he had been assured a Cabinet berth before the 2023 Assembly elections and again after two-and-a-half years, Patil said the promise was not honoured, leaving him with no option but to resign as an MLA. He clarified that he was not quitting the Congress party and described the decision as an insult to the people of his constituency. His supporters staged a protest in Bengaluru over his exclusion.

CM appeals for patience

Responding to the discontent within the party, Chief Minister Shivakumar urged disappointed legislators to remain patient.

He said it was impossible to accommodate every MLA in the Cabinet and recalled that he too had initially missed out on a ministerial berth during a previous Congress government before later becoming a minister.

"We will create opportunities for everyone in the future. I request them to remain patient," he said.

Former ministers return

The Cabinet expansion marks the return of several senior leaders, including B. Nagendra, who had resigned from the previous Siddaramaiah government in 2024 over allegations related to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi and senior Congress leader B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan also returned to the Cabinet.

However, several prominent leaders from the previous government, including H.C. Mahadevappa, H.K. Patil, Dinesh Gundu Rao, K. Venkatesh, M.C. Sudhakar and Laxmi Hebbalkar, did not find a place in the expanded ministry.

Gayathri Shanthegowda is the only woman inducted into the Cabinet. The expanded ministry also includes three children of former Chief Ministers—Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Madhu Bangarappa and Dr Ajay Singh.