No woman minister in Karnataka Cabinet triggers BJP protest
BJP legislators on Friday, Aug 14 staged a protest inside the Vidhana Soudha premises over the absence of women ministers in the recently expanded D.K. Shivakumar Cabinet, Calling the ruling Congress "anti-women," they raised slogans against the state government.
State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra led the protest. He was joined by Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and other legislators, including women.
The BJP legislators gathered near the Nada Devi Bhuvaneshwari statue at the entrance to the Vidhana Soudha premises and later marched towards the building.
Shivakumar was sworn in as chief minister along with 13 ministers on June 3, following Siddaramaiah's resignation on May 28. Two months later, Shivakumar expanded his Cabinet on August 3 by inducting 19 ministers, taking its total strength to 33, including the chief minister. There is currently no woman minister in the Shivakumar-led Cabinet.
Among the ministers inducted recently are T. Raghumurthy, who has been given the ST Welfare portfolio; Ajay Singh, Minor Irrigation and Science and Technology; Shivalinge Gowda, Excise; Vijayananda Kashappanavar, Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises; K.S. Basavanthappa, Muzrai, Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport; Rizwan Arshad, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs; and H.C. Balakrishna, Municipal Administration.
Other ministers and their portfolios include Lakshman Savadi, Cooperation; Basavaraj Raya Reddy, Higher Education; Puttaranga Shetty, Animal Husbandry and Sericulture; and Narendra Swamy, Agriculture.
