'Congress Fails Karnataka': BJP Tears Into DKS Govt As Cabinet Expansion Triggers Revolt
'Congress Fails Karnataka': BJP Tears Into DKS Govt As Cabinet Expansion Triggers Revolt Published By, Last Updated: August 03, 2026, 19:54 IST The BJP cited
'Congress Fails Karnataka': BJP Tears Into DKS Govt As Cabinet Expansion Triggers Revolt Published By, Last Updated: August 03, 2026, 19:54 IST The BJP cited resignations, angry legislators, protests by supporters and regional imbalance to accuse the Congress of plunging Karnataka into political instability. Karnataka BJP leader and Leader of Opposition R Ashok addresses the media as the party attacks the Congress over dissent following the D K Shivakumar government's cabinet expansion. (IMAGE: PTI FILE) The BJP on Monday launched a blistering attack on the Congress government in Karnataka, alleging that the ruling party’s cabinet expansion had triggered widespread resentment among its own legislators and exposed its inability to provide stable governance. Leader of Opposition R Ashok accused the Congress of “failing Karnataka", pointing to the political turmoil that has followed the induction of 19 ministers into Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s cabinet. Using the hashtag #CongressFailsKarnataka, the BJP claimed the cabinet exercise had deepened divisions within the ruling party rather than strengthening the government.
The opposition highlighted the resignation of Indi MLA Yeshwantraya Gouda Patil after he was denied a ministerial berth and pointed to Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna’s announcement that he would resign on Tuesday after also missing out on a cabinet post. The BJP also cited remarks by senior Congress MLA Tanveer Sait, who expressed disappointment with the party high command, alleging that loyal party workers had been overlooked while leaders who had previously opposed the Congress had been rewarded with ministerial berths. According to the BJP, supporters of Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar also staged protests after she was left out of the expanded ministry. It further claimed that Congress MLAs from Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts were planning a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the lack of representation and could consider mass resignations. The party also questioned the regional composition of the new cabinet, alleging that Raichur, Yadgir and Uttara Kannada districts had been left without representation.
Targeting the Congress over women’s representation, the BJP noted that despite the government’s flagship Gruha Lakshmi and Shakti schemes, no woman was inducted into the expanded cabinet after the last-minute omission of MLC Gayathri Shantegowda. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also trained his guns on the Congress, alleging that the expanded cabinet had exposed the party’s “double standards" on representation and accountability. In a post on X, Malviya claimed the ministry had only one woman, sidelined younger leaders and offered no representation to the Brahmin community despite the Congress’s promises of social justice and inclusive governance. He further questioned the induction of B Nagendra, who has faced allegations in the Valmiki Development Corporation case, and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, referring to allegations over the funding of the SDPI during the Davangere bypoll. Malviya also highlighted the increase in Muslim representation in the cabinet, claiming the Congress had abandoned the “new politics" it had promised and reverted to “the same old politics of expediency, selective morality and broken promises." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a chief sub editor at News18.
The BriefWire