In a significant development, the Congress party has released a list of 24 legislators who are set to be sworn in as ministers in the state of Karnataka. The ceremony is scheduled to take place today, marking an important step in the formation of the state cabinet.
Out of the total 34 ministerial positions available in Karnataka, ten have already been filled, including the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister. The announcement of these 24 legislators adds to the growing composition of the new cabinet.
Prominent MLAs such as H K Patil, Krishna Byregowda, N Cheluvarayaswamy, K Venkatesh, H C Mahadevappa, Congress working president Eshwar Khandre, and former state Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao will be among those taking the oath later today.
Dinesh Gundu Rao served as the Chairman of the KPCC before DK Shivakumar took over. Credits – Hindustan Times
The remaining individuals on the list include Kyathasandra N Rajanna, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Shivanand Patil, Ramappa Balappa Timmapur, S S Mallikarjun, Shivaraj Sangappa Tangadagi, Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil, Mankal Vaidya, Laxmi Hebbalkar, Rahim Khan, D Sudhakar, Santosh Lad, N S Boseraju, Suresha B S, Madhu Bangarappa, M C Sudhakar, and B Nagendra.
It is noteworthy that three MLAs belong to Scheduled Castes, two to Scheduled Tribes, and five to Other Backward Communities, including the Kuruba, Raju, Maratha, Ediga, and Mogaveera communities.
Credits – Times Of India
Moreover, the appointment of Dinesh Gundu Rao also ensures representation for the Brahmin community within the cabinet.
The distribution of ministers is geographically diverse as well, with seven ministers each hailing from the Old Mysuru and Kalyana Karnataka regions, six from the Kittur Karnataka region, and two from central Karnataka.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s official statement highlighted the importance of achieving a balance in terms of caste and regional representation. The cabinet appointments take into account both senior and junior MLAs, emphasizing inclusivity and fair opportunities.
Furthermore, the cabinet is set to feature eight ministers from the Lingayat community, with representation given to various sub-sects within the community.
In terms of religious diversity, the Congress cabinet will have a total of two Muslim ministers. Zameer Khan, who was sworn in alongside the Chief Minister, and Rahim Khan, known to be a close ally of Siddaramaiah, will represent the Muslim community within the government.
