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Bengaluru: Ripple effects of the Karnataka Cabinet expansion have begun, with senior Congress leaders Yashwanthrayagouda Patil from Indi and Sagar MLA Belur Gopalakrishna formally resigning from the party on Monday, August 3.

Patil and Gopalakrishna have expressed their anguish over the denial of Cabinet berths, with the latter remarking, “Only children of ex-CMs get prominence in Congress.”

It is not just Patil and Gopalakrishan who are angry; former education minister Tanveer Sait has openly expressed disappointment after being overlooked, stating that repeated assurances from the party leadership have not materialised. “I never engaged in lobbying for a ministerial post and had no intention of doing so now,” he told reporters.

The six-time MLA from the Narasimharaja constituency said Mysuru city and district had lost an opportunity for representation in the Cabinet. He claimed many of his supporters had urged him to resign from the Assembly in protest, adding that he would consult party workers before taking any final decision.

Big names shown the door

The exclusion of several senior leaders has triggered political discussions within Congress circles, as many of them had extensive ministerial experience and were widely expected to return to the government.

Among the biggest names omitted is former Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, while veteran legislator HK Patil, who handled the Law and Tourism portfolios in the previous government, has also been left out.

Former Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, regarded as one of the senior-most Congress leaders from Mysuru district, did not find a place despite being considered a strong contender.

Periyapatna MLA K Venkatesh, former Animal Husbandry Minister, and Shahapur MLA Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, who has served as a minister in multiple governments over the past two decades, were also denied Cabinet berths.

Former Excise Minister RB Timmapur, Basavana Bagewadi MLA Shivanand Patil and Belagavi Rural MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar were among other prominent leaders who were not accommodated in the new ministry.

Bidar MLA Rahim Khan, MLC N.S. Boseraju and Chintamani MLA M.C. Sudhakar, who earlier headed key departments including Urban Development, Minor Irrigation and Higher Education respectively, have also been excluded.

Former Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport Minister Mankal Vaidya from Bhatkal is another notable omission from the expanded Cabinet.

The Grand Old Party has announced 20 names. They are PM Narendraswamy, Lakshman Savadi, Shivaraj Thangadagi, Rudrappa Lamani, KS Basavanthappa, B Nagendra, Raghumoorthy, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Rizwan Arshad, Santhosh Lad, Madhu Bangarappa, Puttrangashetty, Mankal Vaidya, and Ajay Singh.

UT Khader, who previously acted as the Assembly Speaker, has been inducted into the cabinet, and Ron MLA G S Patil will take his place. Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna is set to be the Deputy Speaker.

The swearing-in of the new ministers will take place at Lok Bhavan here by 5 pm.