No Woman In Karnataka Cabinet: Margaret Alva 'Deeply Disappointed' Over DK Shivakumar Oath Ceremony

Karnataka’s newly sworn-in government under Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has come under scrutiny after no woman was included in the first batch of 13 ministers. The Cabinet formation was seen as an exercise in balancing caste, regional and factional interests, but the absence of women drew criticism from within the Congress. Veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva publicly expressed disappointment, saying she had hoped to see at least one woman minister in the new government. The Congress currently has nine women legislators in Karnataka, including four MLAs and five MLCs, yet none were inducted. Senior leaders such as Laxmi Hebbalkar and Umashree, both considered strong contenders with previous ministerial experience, were also left out of the Cabinet.