Cabinet Expansion Chaos In Karnataka: Protests Erupt, Siddaramaiah’s Absence Raises Eyebrows | VIDEO

Bengaluru, Aug 3: The cabinet expansion in Karnataka, which took two months for the Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to have a full cabinet created turmoil in Karnataka, when the list of ministers finally arrived from New Delhi.

Interestingly, the list of 20 ministers, who were supposed to take oath on Monday was changed twice before the oath taking ceremony took place and at the end, only 19 ministers took oath, leaving the woman quota vacant.

Meanwhile, absence of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the oath taking ceremony in the Lok Bhavan has raised many eyebrows.

Since morning, when the list of ministers signed by the AICC General Secretary became public, the supporters of ministerial aspirants went berserk. While the supporters of senior leader Hampanagouda Badarli protested near Legislators' Home in Bengaluru, the supporters of M Krishnappa and his son Priya Krishna, who represent Vijayanagar and neighboring Go[vindaraj Nagara constituencies in Bengaluru city protested near Magadi toll gate by blocking the roads and burning tyres. Meanwhile, the supporters of former minister Tanvir Sait staged a protest in Mysuru, where one of his supporters consumed poison. The supporters of another senior leader Raghavendra Hitnal staged a protest in Koppal town.

Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader Yasvantraygouda Patil from Indi in Vijayapura district has decided to tender his resignation to the legislators' post. With a signed resignation letter, he also went to the Legislative Assembly Speaker's chamber in the Vidhana Soudha. Since the in-charge Speaker was not available, he has sought an appointment of the in-charge Speaker.

Also Watch:

At the same time, another four time MLA Beluru Gopalakrishna, who was expecting to become minister has said that he would be resigning as MLA. Former Minister M Krishnappa, who was expecting himself or his son Priya Krishna to be in the cabinet has convened a press meet to share his future course of action. While Krishnappa is cut off with the Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, he is close to Siddaramaiah and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Soon after the list became public, there were last minutes lobbying, leading to some changes. The first change came in the form of former Minister S S Mallikarjun replacing Mankala Vaidya, who was set to become a minister for the first time.

Then the controversy over lone woman representatives came up. Gayathri Shanthegowda has been just adjourned Legislative Council member by the Karnataka High Court after a four-year-old legal battle. She is yet to take oath and her term is less than two years. While she is the first timer to either of the houses, there are a number of women legislators, who are seniors to her. When the list was released, she was sitting in Siddaramaiah's house, which gave rise to more suspicions. At the end, her induction into the cabinet was kept under abeyance.

In the evening, absence of former chief minister Siddaramaiah for the oath taking ceremony was glaring. Though Siddaramaiah was very much in Bengaluru and was celebrating his birthday with his followers and fans since morning just a two kilometers away from the Lok Bhavan, he conspicuously stayed away.