Congress Reshapes Karnataka Cabinet with Broad Social Representation

The newly expanded ministry features a significant shift in composition, most notably with seven Scheduled Caste ministers—a state first—and a record four Muslim representatives across key cabinet and legislative roles. The Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities maintain their traditional influence, retaining seven and five berths respectively. Other Backward Classes also secured five ministerial positions, rounding out a strategy that emphasizes inclusivity across the state’s fractured social landscape.

This restructuring left several senior Congress stalwarts on the sidelines, including veterans like RV Deshpande and Dinesh Gundu Rao. Their exclusion has sparked internal friction, though party officials maintain that those omitted will be steered toward alternative organizational roles. With only one woman, Gayathri Shanthegowda, included in the new intake, the list blends fresh faces like Ajay Singh and T. Raghumoorthy with experienced hands returning to government. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for 04:05 PM at Bengaluru’s Lok Bhavan, finalizing a lineup that party leaders describe as a necessary, albeit difficult, selection from a deep pool of 140 legislators.