The undivided Dharwad district, which comprises Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri districts, has not been given any representation in the first phase of the cabinet formed under the newly elected Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's government. This development has left party workers from the region disappointed.
Senior Leaders Denied Berths
H K Patil, one of the most prominent and senior politicians from north Karnataka, who served as the law and tourism minister in the previous Siddaramaiah government, was denied a ministerial berth in the first phase. Similarly, Santosh Lad, who was seen as part of Siddaramaiah's camp and played a vital role in reforming labour acts while shouldering responsibilities during emergencies such as floods and war situations outside the state, also failed to secure a position in the cabinet.
Party Workers Express Disappointment
A senior Congress functionary from Gadag expressed regret over Patil not getting a berth. He noted that Patil has served the party in various roles for several decades and remained loyal to the party high command. Patil has represented the Gadag assembly constituency since 2013 and previously represented the West Graduates' constituency from 1984 to 2008. The lack of representation from Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri districts has left party workers feeling disappointed, as they believe the party high command should have given preference to the north Karnataka region when selecting ministers.
Hope for Future Positions
Shakir Sanadi, Huda chairman and former KPCC general secretary, stated that they had expected seniors like Patil to be included in the first list of ministers. However, he expressed hope that the party would consider Patil for a good position in the future. Sources within the party indicate that Patil might be appointed as the Speaker, given his experience and seniority.
Lobbying for Ministerial Berths
Confusion prevails in Dharwad and Haveri as several MLAs are lobbying hard to secure ministerial berths from the undivided Dharwad district. These include Hangal MLA Srinivas Mane, four-time MLA G S Patil from Ron, and Prasad Abbayya, MLA from the Hubballi-Dharwad East constituency. Sources suggest that if the party decides to look for young and new faces, there are chances that Mane, Abbayya and G S Patil could get the berths.
