Congress dissent deepens after cabinet rejig; protests, bandh and resignations rock Karnataka

Bengaluru/Chikkaballapur: Discontent within the ruling Congress intensified on Tuesday following the Karnataka cabinet expansion, with protests, resignations and a bandh call in parts of Chikkaballapur highlighting growing anger among supporters of leaders who missed out on ministerial berths.

A bandh has been called on Wednesday in Bagepalli, Gudibande and Chelur taluks after Bagepalli MLA S.N. Subbareddy was denied a cabinet post. His supporters staged demonstrations, burnt tyres and blocked roads near the KSRTC bus stand, raising slogans against the Congress high command, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Supporters, however, clarified that Subbareddy had not directly backed the bandh.

The cabinet expansion also triggered resignations. Gubbi MLA S.R. Srinivas announced his resignation as KSRTC chairman, expressing disappointment over missing a ministerial berth and saying leaders without political backing found it difficult to rise in the party.

In Koppal, District Mahila Congress president Jyoti Gondabal resigned after MLA K. Raghavendra Hitnal was overlooked for a cabinet position. In her resignation letter, she said the district had been denied ministerial representation for decades.