Bengaluru: The political lobbying over Karnataka’s long-pending cabinet expansion has intensified, with a delegation of retired defence personnel, former Olympians and eminent citizens from Kodagu urging Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to induct Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna into the state cabinet.
The appeal comes nearly a month after the refreshed Congress government under Chief Minister Shivakumar assumed office. While the government has been functioning with several ministers, around 20 cabinet berths remain vacant, and a number of departments are still without dedicated ministers, fuelling competition among Congress legislators seeking cabinet positions.
Kodagu Seeks Cabinet Representation After More Than 20 Years
On Friday, the delegation met Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, submitting a memorandum demanding cabinet representation for Kodagu through AS Ponnanna, who also previously served as the legal advisor to the Karnataka Chief Minister.
The delegation argued that Kodagu has remained without representation in the Karnataka cabinet for more than two decades. According to the memorandum, the district last had a minister in 1999, during the Congress government led by former Chief Minister SM Krishna.
They also pointed out that the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections marked a historic turnaround for the Congress in Kodagu. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the party won both Assembly constituencies in the district, with AS Ponnanna emerging victorious from Virajpet and Manthar Gowda winning the Madikeri seat.
Defence Veterans and Olympians Back Ponnanna
The delegation stressed that Kodagu has made extraordinary contributions to the country, particularly in the armed forces and Indian hockey, and therefore deserves representation in the state cabinet.
The memorandum was signed by several distinguished personalities, including:
- Former Air Marshal BU Chengappa
- Padma Shri awardee Dr MP Ganesh
- Triple Olympian MM Somaiah
- Several retired senior Army officers
They described the demand as a long-standing aspiration of the people of Kodagu and urged the Congress leadership to ensure the district receives its due representation in the cabinet.
Cabinet Expansion Delayed Amid Political Consultations
The Karnataka cabinet expansion, which was initially expected soon after the formation of the new government, has been repeatedly delayed.
The first setback came as the Congress leadership focused on the Rajya Sabha elections and the Legislative Council (MLC) elections, pushing cabinet expansion to the sidelines.
Even after the elections concluded, the exercise failed to move forward as the state leadership could not hold consultations with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose approval is considered crucial before the final list of ministers is announced.
Congress Treading Carefully After Earlier Cabinet Row
The Congress leadership is also exercising caution following the internal discontent that accompanied the first phase of cabinet formation.
Senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy briefly resigned after being overlooked for a ministerial position before being persuaded by DK Shivakumar to withdraw his resignation.
Similarly, KH Muniyappa openly expressed dissatisfaction over the portfolio allocated to him, while Krishna Byre Gowda publicly sought clarity on his responsibilities and took more than a week before formally assuming charge of his department.
Leadership Balancing Regional and Political Equations
With nearly 20 ministerial vacancies still to be filled, several Congress MLAs continue to lobby for cabinet positions.
The party leadership is now attempting to strike a delicate balance between regional representation, caste equations and political considerations, while also ensuring that the next round of appointments does not trigger another wave of dissatisfaction within the party.
The growing demand from Kodagu has now added another regional dimension to the already complex cabinet expansion exercise, with supporters of AS Ponnanna hoping the district’s long wait for cabinet representation will finally come to an end.