19 New Ministers Sworn In as Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar Expands Cabinet to 33 Members
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday expanded his ministry with the induction of 19 new ministers, taking the strength of the state Cabinet to 33 members. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhavan.
The Cabinet expansion comes nearly two months after Shivakumar assumed office. In the first phase, the Chief Minister and 13 other ministers had taken oath. With Monday’s induction of 19 ministers, only one Cabinet berth remains vacant.
The newly constituted Cabinet reflects a balance of experience, regional representation and social diversity, with leaders from North Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka, Old Mysuru, Coastal Karnataka and Central Karnataka finding a place in the ministry. Representation for women, however, is yet to be included, leaving one position vacant.
Among those sworn in was Jewargi MLA Dr Ajay Dharam Singh, son of former Chief Minister Dharam Singh, who became a minister for the first time. Magadi MLA H.C. Balakrishna, a five-time legislator, also entered the Cabinet for the first time.
Other legislators inducted into the ministry include Basavaraj Rayareddy, N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Laxman Savadi, Madhu Bangarappa, S.S. Mallikarjun, B. Nagendra, P.M. Narendra Swamy, C. Puttarangashetty, Raghumurthy, Rizwan Arshad, Rudrappa Lamani, Shivalinge Gowda, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Santosh Lad, Vijayanand Kashappanavar, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, and other MLAs who took the oath of office and secrecy.
With the latest expansion, 22 members of the present Cabinet, including Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, have previously served as ministers, while 12 are first-time ministers.
Celebrations were reported across several constituencies following the swearing-in ceremony. Supporters of Dr Ajay Dharam Singh gathered at his Bengaluru residence and in Kalaburagi, where his mother, Prabhavati Dharam Singh, welcomed his induction into the Cabinet.
Alongside the Cabinet expansion, the government also recommended names for key legislative posts. Ron MLA G.S. Patil has been proposed as Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna as Deputy Speaker, Salim Ahmed as Chairman of the Legislative Council and Umashree as Deputy Chairperson.
While the Cabinet expansion brings the ministry close to full strength, attention is now expected to shift towards portfolio allocation and managing aspirations of legislators who were left out, as the government prepares for the 2028 Assembly elections.
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