Attempting to diffuse resentment among legislators omitted from the expanded Karnataka Cabinet, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar Monday reached out to disgruntled party leaders in the Kolar region, telling them that "every MLA here is a chief minister and minister in terms of responsibility". Shivakumar's remarks came during a Congress event in Kolar, where local discontent boiled over after two neighbouring districts, Kolar and Chikkaballapur, were passed over for ministerial berths despite delivering seven of the 11 Assembly seats to the Congress. Demonstrating the internal strain, local MLA S N Narayanaswamy initially refused a formal felicitation on stage before the chief minister stepped in to smooth over relations. "There is strength in unity," Shivakumar told the gathering. "It is not possible to give ministerial positions to every MLA from the district. But every MLA here is a chief minister and minister in terms of responsibility. I will work to empower them. It is my duty." The outreach in Kolar comes as the Congress struggles to contain growing friction following the August 3 induction of 19 new ministers. Despite an All India Congress Committee (AICC) list initially featuring first-time MLC Gayathri Shantigowda, her swearing-in stalled amid internal pushback from former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who backed actor and former minister Umashree. The move left the Cabinet with no women ministers. Shivakumar promised in Kolar that the omission will be rectified shortly, stating, "We have to do it. We will do it." Siddaramaiah has been pushing for the inclusion of Kuruba leader Basavaraj Shivannavar, whose name was dropped at the last minute. Meanwhile, senior Bengaluru MLAs, including six-time legislator Dinesh Gundu Rao and multi-term MLA M Krishnappa, were passed over due to regional saturation, with five ministers already representing Bengaluru. Only portfolio allocations Fresh from a meeting with the Congress high command in New Delhi, Shivakumar ruled out immediate changes, making it clear that further cabinet tweaks are on hold until the two-week legislative session concludes on August 27. "The issue of Cabinet changes will have to await the end of the legislature session," he said, noting that only portfolio allocations will be completed in the interim. Meanwhile, Opposition BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders are set to corner the government during the upcoming Monsoon Session starting August 13 over the absence of women in the Cabinet and the inclusion of a minister facing a CBI corruption probe.
