From veterans to first-timers: Meet the 19 ministers inducted into Karnataka's expanded cabinet

The DK Shivakumar-led Karnataka government on Monday expanded its cabinet for the first time, with 19 Congress MLAs taking oath as ministers in a move that balanced regional representation, caste equations and political experience.

The new council of ministers includes several former ministers who have returned to the cabinet, alongside a number of first-time inductees drawn from across the state.

Also Read: Karnataka: Rahul Gandhi clears list, 20 leaders to take oath as ministers today


B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamrajpet)
A five-time MLA from Bengaluru's Chamrajpet constituency, Zameer Ahmed Khan returns to the cabinet after serving as Housing, Waqf and Minority Welfare Minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government. A prominent Muslim face in the Congress, the 60-year-old switched from the JD(S) to the Congress in 2018 and has previously held ministerial positions in both the BJP-JD(S) and Congress-JD(S) coalition governments. He recently dismissed as "fake" an alleged audio clip linking him to an "internal conspiracy" during the Davanagere South bypoll, claiming it was generated using AI as part of a political conspiracy.

Santosh Lad (Kalghatgi)
The 51-year-old MLA from Dharwad district returns after serving as Labour Minister in the previous cabinet, where he oversaw the implementation of Karnataka's paid menstrual leave policy and piloted the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025. Lad resigned from the Siddaramaiah government in 2013 following allegations linking his family's mining business to the illegal iron ore mining scandal.

Rizwan Arshad (Shivajinagar)
Representing Bengaluru's Shivajinagar constituency, the 46-year-old Congress leader becomes a cabinet minister for the first time. Arshad began his political career through the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and later held several key positions in the Youth Congress at both the state and national levels.

Madhu Bangarappa (Soraba)
The son of former Karnataka Chief Minister S Bangarappa, the 59-year-old MLA from Soraba served as Primary and Secondary Education Minister in the previous cabinet. A prominent OBC leader, Bangarappa has also been associated with the BJP and JD(S) and has worked as a film actor and producer.

B Nagendra (Ballari Rural)
Nagendra, 54, returns despite facing legal scrutiny. The former Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister resigned in 2024 over allegations related to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation fund diversion case and was later arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a linked money laundering probe. The CBI subsequently filed three chargesheets against him and his associate over the alleged diversion of ₹89 crore in welfare funds.

Also Read: Karnataka cabinet expansion: DK Shivakumar inducts B Nagendra, Zameer Khan, Rizwan Arshad among 20 new ministers

S S Mallikarjun (Davanagere North)
A former Mines and Geology and Horticulture Minister, the 58-year-old represents Davanagere North. He is the son of veteran Congress leader and Lingayat strongman Shamanur Shivashankarappa. His wife Prabha Mallikarjun is the MP from Davanagere, while his son Samarth won the Davanagere South bypoll earlier this year.

K S Basavanthappa (Mayakonda-SC)
A first-time MLA from Davanagere district, the 55-year-old comes from a family of sanitation workers and has consistently highlighted issues concerning civic workers in the Assembly.

Laxman Savadi (Athani)
The former BJP deputy chief minister, 66, joined the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly election after being denied a BJP ticket. Representing Athani in Belagavi district, the Ganiga Lingayat leader enters the cabinet for the first time since switching parties.

Vijayanand Kashappanavar (Hungund)
The 54-year-old MLA from Bagalkot district is regarded as an influential Lingayat leader from north Karnataka. Son of former minister S R Kashappanavar, he becomes a minister for the first time.

Basavaraj Rayareddi (Yelburga)
A six-time MLA and former Lok Sabha MP, Rayareddi returns to the cabinet after previously serving as Higher Education Minister between 2016 and 2018. He also held the Housing portfolio in the HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal government during the 1990s and later served as Economic Adviser to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

H C Balakrishna (Magadi)
A five-time MLA from Magadi and son of former minister H G Channappa, Balakrishna is considered a close associate of DK Shivakumar and an influential Vokkaliga leader from the Old Mysuru region.

K M Shivalinge Gowda (Arsikere)
The 68-year-old four-time MLA from Hassan district joined the Congress from the JD(S) ahead of the 2023 polls and retained the Arsikere seat. This will be his first ministerial assignment.

N Chaluvarayaswamy (Nagamangala)
A four-time MLA and former MP, Chaluvarayaswamy served as Agriculture Minister in the previous cabinet. The prominent Vokkaliga leader from Mandya switched from the JD(S) to the Congress in 2018.

Ajay Singh (Jevargi)
Representing Jevargi in Kalaburagi district, Ajay Singh is a three-time MLA and son of former Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh. Before joining the cabinet, he served as chairman of the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board.

P M Narendraswamy (Malavalli)
The 63-year-old three-time MLA from Mandya district currently heads the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. He first entered the Assembly in 2008 as an Independent before joining the Congress.

Shivaraj Tangadagi (Kanakagiri)
A three-time MLA from Koppal district, Tangadagi has earlier served as Minor Irrigation Minister and most recently handled the Backward Classes Welfare and Kannada & Culture portfolios. He is considered an influential AHINDA leader in north Karnataka.

Rudrappa Lamani (Haveri-SC)
The 67-year-old three-time MLA served as Deputy Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly before his induction. He previously held the Textiles and Muzrai portfolios in the Siddaramaiah government.

T Raghumurthy (Challakere-ST)
The 63-year-old three-time MLA from Chitradurga district enters the cabinet for the first time. He earlier served as chairman of the Karnataka State Small Scale Industries Development Corporation.

C Puttarangashetty (Chamarajanagar)
The 72-year-old veteran Congress leader has represented Chamarajanagar since 2008. He previously served as Backward Classes Welfare Minister in the Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy between 2018 and 2019.