Former chief minister Siddaramaiah has left his imprint on the Karnataka Cabinet headed by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Except for U.T. Khader and Yathindra Siddaramaiah, all legislators sworn in as ministers on June 3 had served in Congress governments led by Mr. Siddaramaiah. Notably, no woman legislator has been inducted into the Cabinet.
Notable persons missing in the first batch of ministers sworn in on June 3 are H.C. Mahadevappa, H.K. Patil, Santosh Lad, Dinesh Gundu Rao, and B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, who served in the previous Cabinet.
Son in ministry
Besides securing a berth for his son, the former CM appears to have successfully advocated the inclusion of loyalists, including M.B. Patil, K.J. George, G. Parameshwara, Byrathi Suresh, and K.H. Muniyappa.
Senior leader B.K. Hariprasad, who is widely tipped to become the next president of the Congress unit in Karnataka, is believed to be Mr. Siddaramaiah’s preferred choice for the party post.
The cabinet formation is seen as a deft political exercise by the party high command. By creating a deputy CM’s post, the former chief minister is believed to have accommodated G. Parameshwara.
Six-time MLA G. Parameshwara, who served as deputy CM in the H.D. Kumaraswamy-led coalition government, had long been regarded as a contender for the post of CM. His appointment as Deputy CM is seen as a strategic move to balance competing ambitions within the party.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge has ensured representation to his son Priyank Kharge and loyalist Sharan Prakash Patil, a four-time MLA from Sedam.
Belagavi factor
Senior leader Satish Jarkiholi, who hails from the Valmiki community and represents the Scheduled Tribes (ST), has found a place in the ministry. Since the high command was believed to have turned down his demand for both a ministerial berth and the KPCC chief’s post, he preferred a cabinet berth over the party post, largely to exercise his hold over Belagavi district, apparently to prevent the growth of Laxman Savadi and Laxmi Hebbalkar.
Three ministers — M. B. Patil, Eshwar Khandre, and Sharan Prakash Patil — represent the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, while the Dalit community is represented by Mr. Kharge, Mr. Parameshwara (both right), and Mr. Muniyappa (left).
As the Chief Minister belongs to the Vokkaliga community, five-time MLA Krishna Byre Gowda’s induction is viewed as balancing community representation. Ramalinga Reddy, an eight-time legislator, belongs to the Reddy Vokkaliga community.
The party has ensured representation for the Kuruba community (OBC), to which Mr. Siddaramaiah belongs, by inducting Byrathi Suresh and Mr. Yathindra.
Five-time MLA U.T. Khader, who served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in the previous government, has found a place in the ministry. While Mr. Khader represents Mangaluru, K.J. George, a six-time MLA, represents the Sarvagnanagar constituency, Bengaluru.
Speaker’s post vacant
With Mr. Khader’s induction, the Speaker’s post has fallen vacant. According to party sources, the high command is considering the names of experienced legislators, including H.K. Patil, Basavaraj Rayareddy, and T.B. Jayachandra, for the post.
Bengaluru dominates
Region-wise, four ministers — Ramalinga Reddy, Byrathi Suresh, K J George, and Krishna Byre Gowda — represent constituencies in Bengaluru City. Mr. Shivakumar represents Kanakapura in Bengaluru South district while Mr. Muniyappa represents the Bengaluru Rural district.
Mr. Kharge, Mr. Sharan Prakash Patil, and Mr. Khandre represent the Kalyana Karnataka region, which elected five MPs in the 2024 parliamentary polls. M. B. Patil and Satish Jarkiholi represent the Kittur Karnataka region.
Mr. Yathindra is likely to become the district-in-charge minister of Mysuru district while Dr. Parameshwara is expected to continue to be in charge of Tumakuru district.
No woman minister
The high command has not given representation to women legislators in the Cabinet in the first list.
Laxmi Hebbalkar served as the Women and Child Welfare Development Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led government.
Published – June 03, 2026 04:30 pm IST
