‘All-male cabinet not acceptable’: Karnataka women’s association over exclusion of women in state cabinet

BENGALURU: The women’s collective, ‘If We Do Not Rise-Karnataka’ (Naaveddu Nilladiddare), on Thursday expressed disappointment over the complete exclusion of women from the state’s newly expanded cabinet, declaring that an all-male cabinet is not acceptable and warned that it sends a message that women and female leadership can be ignored when it comes to state power.

“We, the women of Karnataka, women’s organisations, and groups committed to women’s rights, dignity and justice under the platform ‘If We Do Not Rise-Karnataka’, are dismayed that the recently announced Karnataka cabinet has no women in it. We had noticed that there was no woman in the first cabinet you formed as Chief Minister. But we had hoped this mistake would be corrected in the expansion. Instead, you have completely excluded women from political participation again. An all-male cabinet is not acceptable. It sends the message that when it comes to state power, women and women’s leadership can be ignored”, said the letter.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, the women’s association highlighted that despite women forming the party’s primary voter base of the party, not a single ministerial portfolio was allocated to a woman. The association further noted that this move directly contradicts the Congress party’s explicit commitment to 33 per cent women’s reservation, as well as its broader goal of boosting female representation in Parliament.

“Nearly half of Karnataka’s voters are women. In the 2023 Assembly elections, Congress won more than 52 seats where women voters were higher. This shows that the main voter base is women. Yet, you have not given even a single ministerial position to a woman.You claim to be a champion of women’s rights, have promised a women’s reservation in Parliament, and your party has committed to 33% reservation. But this act contradicts all of that,” added the letter.

Highlighting the broader role of female leadership, the collective asserted that with women increasingly taking charge across sectors, their active participation remains essential to the state’s economic, administrative, and political growth. It cautioned that the total exclusion of women from the newly constituted state cabinet effectively treats them as invisible and shuts out their voices from the decision-making process.

“Women are leaders in every field — panchayats, municipal corporations, social movements, self-help groups, labor organizations, civil society, education, technology, agriculture, trade, industry, media, and literature. The state’s economy, administration and politics need women’s contribution. But while forming the highest decision-making body, women have been treated as invisible and their voices ignored”, the women’s association noted.

Concluding its appeal, the association called upon the state government to correct the mistake and allocate cabinet positions to capable women, asserting that female equal political participation remains non-negotiable and constitutes a core constitutional responsibility of the government. It further warned that it will continue to hold the administration accountable until female leaders are given their rightful due in the party.

“We urge you to correct this grave mistake. Not just symbolic representation — give capable and strong women positions in the cabinet. For true inclusion, women leaders must be in decision-making roles. Your current cabinet sends the message that ‘there is no place for women in Karnataka politics’. Women’s equal political participation is non-negotiable. It is the government’s constitutional duty. Until that happens, we will continue to hold the government accountable”, said the letter.

The oath-taking ceremony of new cabinet ministers took place at Lok Bhavan in Bengaluru after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot approved the Cabinet expansion. The state Cabinet increased the size of the ministry to the full limit of 34, including the chief minister. The expansion of the Karnataka Cabinet has triggered discontent among several senior Congress leaders who were left out of the ministry, with some questioning the selection process and others expressing disappointment over their exclusion.(ANI)