Karnataka Allocates Portfolios to 19 Ministers Ahead of Monsoon Session

The D.K. Shivakumar-led Karnataka government allocated portfolios to 19 newly inducted Ministers on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, ending days of deliberations on the eve of the State Legislature's Monsoon Session in Bengaluru. The official portfolio allocation issued by the Governor’s office came after nearly 10 days of internal discussions, trips to Delhi, and lobbying by legislators seeking Cabinet berths.

The fresh allocation saw changes for senior Ministers who had expressed dissatisfaction with initial proposals. K.H. Muniyappa, who had sought the Social Welfare portfolio and expressed unhappiness at being continued as Food and Civil Supplies Minister, prevailed over the party leadership. Ramalinga Reddy, who was upset over being offered Water Resources instead of Bengaluru Development, was allocated the Forests, Ecology and Environment portfolio. Meanwhile, Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader was handed additional responsibility for Minority Welfare, Haj, and Wakf.

Amid ongoing challenges related to deficit rainfall and agricultural distress across Karnataka, the Agriculture portfolio was assigned to P.M. Narendraswamy, while N. Cheluvarayaswamy received Major and Medium Irrigation. Both Ministers hail from Mandya district. Puttaranga Shetty, representing Chamarajanagar district, was given charge of Animal Husbandry and Sericulture. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar retained Law and Parliamentary Affairs along with all other unallocated portfolios.

Under the new distribution, Rizwan Arshad was handed Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. K.M. Shivalinge Gowda was assigned Excise, while Ajay Singha received Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology. T. Raghumurthy took charge of Scheduled Tribe Welfare, Rudrappa Lamani was allocated Sugar and Textiles, H.C. Balakrishna got Municipal Administration, and Vijayanand Kashappanavar was named Minister for Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises. First-time legislator K.S. Basanthappa from Mayakonda received Muzrai, Fisheries, Ports, and Inland Water. B. Nagendra, currently facing Opposition resignation demands over alleged multi-crore embezzlement in the Karnataka State Valmiki Development Corporation, was given Planning and Statistics.

Several Ministers were retained in the portfolios they held in the previous Siddaramaiah-led administration, including B.Z. Zameer Ahmed for Housing, Madhu Bangarappa for School Education and Literacy, Shivaraj Tangadagi for Backward Classes Welfare and Kannada and Culture, Santosh Lad for Labour and Employment, and S.S. Mallikarjun for Mines and Geology. Others returned to portfolios they previously managed: Basavaraj Rayaraddi received Higher Education, which he handled during Siddaramaiah’s first term, and Laxman Savadi was allocated Cooperation, a portfolio he previously managed as a Minister in the BJP government.

The government enters the upcoming legislature session commencing Thursday, August 13, 2026, without a woman Minister in the Cabinet, though the Chief Minister has promised that the remaining single vacant berth will be filled by a female legislator. The newly inducted Ministers are scheduled to attend their first full Cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon to strategise for the session.