Karnataka Cabinet Expansion: 24 Ministers inducted, including HK Patil and Dinesh Gundu Rao

In a significant development following the assumption of power in Karnataka, 24 ministers were officially inducted into the newly formed Congress government led by Siddaramaiah. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, with Governor Thawarchand Gehlot presiding over the event.

The list of ministers comprises a diverse representation, with eight members from the Lingayat community, including the sole female minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar. Additionally, there are seven ministers from Scheduled Caste (SC) backgrounds, five from the Vokkaliga community, two Muslims, three from Scheduled Tribe (ST) backgrounds, and six from Other Backward Classes (OBC), which includes one Maratha, one Brahmin, one Christian, and one Jain.

With the inclusion of these 24 ministers, the Karnataka government's cabinet now consists of 34 members, which also includes the ten ministers who were sworn in alongside Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar on May 20.

Madhu Bangarappa, son of former Karnataka CM S Bangarappa, was among those taking the oath as a minister in Siddaramaiah's cabinet. As a two-time MLA and first-time Congress MLA, he represents the OBC Ediga community.

Sharanprakash Patil, a Lingayat MLA from Sedam and a medical professional, also took the oath as a minister in Siddaramaiah's cabinet. He had previously served as the Minister for Medical Education in Karnataka and is known for his close association with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Shivaraj Tangadagi, hailing from the Scheduled Caste Bhovi community and an MLA from Kanakagiri, was also sworn in as a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka Cabinet. He shares a close bond with CM Siddaramaiah.

Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, a prominent Lingayat leader and five-time MLA from Shahapu, was among those who took the oath as a minister in the presence of CM Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, and Governor Thawarchand Gehlot. Having previously served as a Janata Dal MLA and held ministerial positions twice, Darshanapur brings extensive experience to the cabinet.

Dinesh Gundu Rao, former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and an MLA from the Gandhi Nagar constituency, was sworn in as a minister in CM Siddaramaiah's cabinet. He is the only Brahmin member among the 34 ministers and enjoys a close relationship with CM Siddaramaiah.

K N Rajanna, a three-time Congress MLA and former president of the Tumkur district Cooperative Bank, also took the oath as a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet. During the ceremony, he invoked the names of revered saints Valmiki, Basavanna, and BR Ambedkar.

H C Mahadevappa, a Dalit leader and MLA representing the T Narsipur constituency, was sworn in as a minister in the Congress Cabinet in Karnataka. With a background in medicine, Mahadevappa previously served as the health minister in the earlier Congress government.

H K Patil, a senior Congress leader from the Namdhari Reddy community and an MLA from the Gadag constituency, also took the oath as a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka.