Bengaluru: The Congress government’s latest cabinet expansion has highlighted a striking regional imbalance, with South Karnataka securing 19 ministerial berths across its 15 districts, North Karnataka receiving 13 ministers for its 13 districts, and the three coastal districts together getting just one representative—Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader.

The expansion also reflects the Congress’ continued emphasis on strengthening its AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) social coalition, while ensuring that the politically influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities retain a significant presence in the government.

Of the 33 ministers in the state cabinet, 20 now belong to the AHINDA bloc. Among the 19 legislators inducted into the cabinet on Monday, 12 are from these communities, indicating the party’s strategy of consolidating support among its traditional social base ahead of the next Assembly elections.

The Congress has also sought to achieve a broader social balance by accommodating representatives from various sub-castes, reflecting an effort to widen its appeal across different sections of society.

Despite the increased representation for AHINDA communities, the cabinet continues to provide substantial space to the dominant Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities, reflecting their enduring political influence in Karnataka.

Regionally, however, the distribution has drawn attention. While South Karnataka has emerged as the biggest beneficiary with 19 ministers, North Karnataka has secured 13 cabinet positions. In contrast, the coastal region—comprising Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts—has been left with just one ministerial representative in U.T. Khader.

As in previous governments, Bengaluru enjoys the highest representation in the cabinet, with six ministers—K.J. George, Ramalinga Reddy, Krishna Byre Gowda, Byrathi Suresh, Zameer Ahmed Khan and Rizwan Arshad—underscoring the capital city’s continuing political significance within the Congress government.