Mysuru: With D K Shivakumar taking oath as the 24th Chief Minister of Karnataka on Wednesday, Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah has emerged as the only leader from the Mysuru region, including Kodagu district, to secure a place in the first batch of ministers inducted into the new state Cabinet.
The development has drawn mixed reactions across the region, with supporters celebrating Yathindra’s elevation while several Congress workers expressed disappointment over the absence of representation from other districts in the initial list of ministers.
Yathindra rewarded with Cabinet berth
Yathindra, the son of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has witnessed a steady rise within the party over the past few years.
Political observers recalled that he vacated the Varuna Assembly constituency ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections to allow his father to contest from the seat. Siddaramaiah subsequently won the election and went on to become Chief Minister for a second term.
Following the election, Yathindra was nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). His induction into the Cabinet is being viewed by many as recognition of his contribution and loyalty to the party leadership.
There had been speculation in political circles that Yathindra could be considered for the post of Deputy Chief Minister. However, he had earlier dismissed such reports and expressed confidence that he would be included in the Cabinet.
Several senior leaders miss out
While Yathindra secured a ministerial berth, several prominent leaders from the Mysuru region did not find a place in the first list of ministers.
Among those whose names were widely discussed ahead of the Cabinet formation were N Chaluvarayaswamy from Mandya district and K M Shivalingegowda from Hassan district.
Both leaders were considered strong contenders, and their names had appeared in multiple speculative lists circulating before the Cabinet announcement. However, neither was included in the first phase of ministerial appointments.
The omission has triggered discussions among party workers and political observers regarding regional representation in the new government.
Disappointment among Mysuru district leaders
A section of Congress workers in Mysuru district expressed disappointment that none of the district’s MLAs were inducted into the Cabinet alongside Yathindra.
There had been expectations within the Dalit community that H C Mahadevappa, a close associate of Siddaramaiah, could be considered for the post of Deputy Chief Minister or a significant Cabinet position.
Similarly, K Venkatesh, another leader regarded as close to Siddaramaiah, was also left out of the first list despite having served as a minister in the previous government.
Tanveer Sait had also publicly indicated his interest in a Cabinet berth but was not included in the initial round of appointments.
Despite the disappointment, party leaders remain hopeful that additional ministers may be inducted during a future Cabinet expansion.
Mandya leaders await representation
In Mandya district, Congress workers had strongly expected Chaluvarayaswamy to retain his ministerial position due to his close association with both Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar.
Apart from Chaluvarayaswamy, party workers had also demanded Cabinet positions for Ramesh Bandisiddegowda and P M Narendraswamy.
Supporters remain optimistic that leaders from Mandya will be accommodated during the next round of Cabinet expansion.
Similarly, Hassan district continues to await representation, with Shivalingegowda’s supporters expressing confidence that he may be considered in the future. The legislator is currently the lone Congress MLA from Hassan district and had joined the party after leaving the JD(S).
Chamarajanagar hopes for Cabinet berth
Chamarajanagar district also remained without representation in the first list of ministers.
The district had similarly missed out on representation in the Cabinet formed in 2023, leading to renewed disappointment among local Congress workers.
Both C Puttarangashetty and A R Krishnamurthy were considered strong contenders for ministerial positions.
Supporters of Puttarangashetty remain hopeful that he could be accommodated during the next phase of Cabinet expansion, pointing to his representation of the Uppara community as an important factor.
Cabinet expansion expected
Political analysts believe the first phase of Cabinet formation is unlikely to be the final composition of the government. With several regions and communities still awaiting representation, expectations are high that further expansion may take place in the coming weeks.
For now, Yathindra stands as the sole representative from the wider Mysuru region in the newly formed Cabinet, while leaders from Mandya, Hassan, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu continue to wait for their opportunity in the state government.