BJP attacks K’taka cabinet, questions exclusion of women

Bengaluru, Aug 3 (AHN) Karnataka BJP chief and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Monday launched an attack on the newly expanded Congress government, accusing Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of rewarding tainted leaders with ministerial berths while ignoring women and several districts in the Cabinet formation.

Vijayendra alleged that after waiting nearly two months for the Congress high command’s approval, the Chief Minister had constituted a Cabinet by inducting legislators facing corruption allegations, controversies and administrative failures.

The BJP leader criticised the Congress government for not inducting a single woman minister in the latest Cabinet expansion. He said the Congress frequently speaks about women’s empowerment and had opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill introduced by the Central government, but had now failed to provide representation to women in its own ministry. “Is this the concern the Congress government has for women?” he asked.

Vijayendra also alleged that an individual arrested in connection with the alleged Rs 183‑crore Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation scam, against whom a chargesheet running into nearly 1,000 pages had been filed, had been inducted into the Cabinet.

He said the appointment sent a message that the state government was willing to protect corruption instead of ensuring accountability.

He further criticised the Cabinet’s regional representation, pointing out that eight districts had not been given a single ministerial berth. He questioned whether the Congress leadership could not find even one capable legislator from those districts to be included in the ministry.

The BJP leader also targeted the Congress high command, alleging that the AICC President had ensured Cabinet berths for three legislators from his own district while neighbouring districts such as Yadgir, Raichur and Vijayanagara were left without representation.

Accusing the Congress government of being anti‑women and encouraging corruption, Vijayendra asserted that the people of Karnataka would teach the government an appropriate lesson in the coming days.

He said the Cabinet expansion reflected the Congress party’s priorities rather than the interests of the people of the state.