Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar inducts 20 ministers. Here's who made it into the new Cabinet

The Congress on Monday expanded the Karnataka Cabinet, with Chief Minister DK Shivakumar inducting 20 legislators and bringing the ministry to its full sanctioned strength. The long-awaited exercise also included appointments to key constitutional positions in the state legislature after months of discussions within the party.

20 legislators join Ministry

The newly-inducted ministers are PM Narendraswamy, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Rudrappa Lamani, KS Basavanthappa, B Nagendra, T Raghumoorthy, Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rizwan Arshad, Santosh Lad, Madhu Bangarappa, Putturangashetty, Mankala Vaidya, Dr Ajay Singh, N Cheluvarayaswamy, K M Shivalinge Gowda, H C Balakrishna, Gayathri Shanthegowda, Basavaraj Rayareddi, Vijayanand Kashappanavar and Laxman Savadi.

The Cabinet expansion marks the end of a prolonged process during which the Congress leadership held consultations over the composition of the ministry and the allocation of vacant ministerial berths.

Key legislative posts announced

Alongside the expansion, the Congress also filled several important positions in the state legislature.

GS Patil has been appointed Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, while AS Ponnanna will serve as Deputy Speaker. Salem Ahmed has been named Chairperson of the Legislative Council, with Umashree taking over as Deputy Chairperson.

Months of consultations conclude

The appointments follow several months of discussions between the Karnataka leadership and the Congress high command. The exercise was aimed at finalising the composition of the ministry while accommodating different political interests within the party.

According to the party, the Cabinet has been structured to provide representation across regions and communities while filling the remaining ministerial vacancies. The expanded ministry is expected to take oath on Monday evening, completing the latest round of appointments in the state government.