States » SouthPosted at: Nov 15 2026 7:48PM


Karnataka Cabinet awaits first woman minister as lobbying intensifies

Bengaluru, Nov 15 (UNI) With mounting pressure within the Congress over the absence of women in the Karnataka Cabinet, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has placed a proposal for inducting a woman minister before the party's central leadership, leaving the crucial decision on Cabinet representation to the leadership in New Delhi.
The move has brought the question of women's representation to the forefront of Karnataka politics, with the Chief Minister indicating that the proposed induction could take place before the forthcoming Winter Session of the state Legislature, scheduled from December 2 to 11 at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
Confirming that the proposal had been submitted, Shivakumar told reporters on Sunday that he was awaiting a call from the Congress leadership to discuss the matter.
"I don't know whether it will be possible to discuss tomorrow, but I have already placed the proposal before the leadership in Delhi. They said they would call me. There is a need, I will do it. I will discuss it at the appropriate time," he said.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit New Delhi on Monday to attend the release of the autobiography of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and is expected to return to Bengaluru the same evening.
The proposed induction assumes political significance as the Cabinet headed by Shivakumar currently has no woman minister, despite the Congress having come to power with a strong emphasis on its guarantee programmes, particularly those aimed at women.
The absence of women in the Cabinet has increasingly become a point of discussion within the ruling party. Former MLA Sowmya Reddy had resigned as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress in October, expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of women's representation in the Cabinet. Several women legislators have also reportedly raised concerns over the delay.
The issue has gained further significance with the Winter Session approaching, as the party faces pressure to ensure representation for women in the state's highest executive decision-making body.
Meanwhile, lobbying for the vacant ministerial berth has intensified, with several names emerging as possible contenders. Former minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, who served in the previous Cabinet, is among those being discussed. Other names figuring in political circles include Annapoorna Tukaram, Roopa Shashidhar, Nayana Motamma and Aarti Krishna.
The choice is also expected to involve considerations of regional, caste and community representation, apart from gender balance. Annapoorna Tukaram's candidature has attracted attention in political discussions, with her induction potentially providing representation to the Ballari region and the Scheduled Tribes community.
The Karnataka Cabinet has two vacant positions following the resignation of B Nagendra amid allegations linked to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam and the other existing vacancy.
Shivakumar had expanded his Cabinet on August 3 by inducting 19 ministers. However, the question of filling the remaining vacancies and ensuring women's representation has continued to remain unresolved.
With the Chief Minister having formally placed the proposal before the Congress leadership, attention has now shifted to the party's decision on the candidate and the timing of the induction.
The December session could therefore become an important deadline for the Congress government to address the prolonged absence of women in the Karnataka Cabinet. However, no final decision on the proposed induction has been announced.
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