Bengaluru: Chief minister D K Shivakumar’s expanded cabinet has come under fire for having no woman minister, with the reported last-minute exclusion of MLC Gayathri Shanthegowda fuelling a debate over gender representation. Demands that the lone vacancy go to a woman is growing.Gayathri, who was declared elected to the legislative council from Chikkamagaluru local authorities’ constituency by the Supreme Court on July 16 after BJP’s MK Pranesh was disqualified, was widely expected to be inducted.Sources say her name was dropped after former CM Siddaramaiah backed Haveri MLA Basavaraj Shivannavar, a former minister, for a berth. Sections of the Kuruba community had also pitched for Shivannavar. Though he too missed out, sources say Gayathri’s exclusion was intended to placate Siddaramaiah and Shivannavar could be accommodated later, leaving the cabinet without a woman minister.The omission contrasts with Congress’ emphasis on women’s welfare and political empowerment. The development also sits uneasily with Shivakumar’s own remarks before the expansion.“It is the party’s principle to have women, and women should be there (in the cabinet). We had a woman in the cabinet earlier, and now also we have a deputy speaker. The party guides us,” he had said.The previous Siddaramaiah cabinet had a lone woman minister, Laxmi Hebbalkar. Her exclusion from Shivakumar’s first list had triggered protests in Belagavi Rural, her constituency. Other women whose names were in contention included KGF MLA Roopakala Shashidhar, Mudigere MLA Nayana Motamma, Gulbarga North MLA Kaneez Fatima and MLC Arathi Krishna.Political analyst Sandeep Shastri said, “This issue is not confined to the current govt. We have had too much symbolism across states and even Parliament. There needs to be more pressure on all political parties. The governing party must demonstrate gender equality through greater representation for women and by assigning them key portfolios.”On Gayathri’s exclusion, he added, “Prima facie it was said to be because she was yet to be inducted as an MLC, but that should not have been a factor since the law provides that you need not be a member of either House while being sworn in as a minister, provided you get elected within six months.”
