Will discuss induction of woman Minister with high command: Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has raised the matter of appointing a woman minister to the Congress high command in Delhi, following the recent expansion of the Cabinet. Only two seats remain vacant in the Cabinet, one after the resignation of B. Nagendra over corruption charges, and the other without any appointee. The Chief Minister stated that he has discussed the issue with the Congress leadership in Delhi, though the timeline for the appointment remains unclear.

The decision to include a woman minister has been a topic of discussion for some time, with the All India Congress Committee list initially including A.V. Gayatri Shanthegowda. However, her name was removed after opposition from former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. E. Annapoorna Tukaram was also considered, but party members are divided on her candidacy, with some opposing due to her being a first-time legislator.

Party sources suggest that there is a desire to appoint a woman without focusing on caste or regional factors, and women legislators are putting pressure on the party leadership to act on this matter.