Belagavi Leaders Seek Two Extra Cabinet Seats After Strong Congress Showing

Lakshmi Hebbalaker, a senior figure in Karnataka’s Congress, announced on Thursday that Belagavi district deserves two additional cabinet posts. The demand follows the district’s impressive performance in the latest assembly elections, delivering 11 Congress legislators. When pressed about her own inclusion in the cabinet, Hebbalaker answered that the question should be posed to Chief Minister D.K. Shivkumar, referring to him as her political guide. She also spoke about the "Griha Lakshmi" initiative she launched as Women and Child Development Minister, which aimed to make women financially independent and received commendation from central authorities despite opposition criticism. The chief minister, deputy chief minister G. Parmeshwar and several ministers reached Belagavi to conduct a flood assessment after continuous rains in the Western Ghats, marking the first such visit by Shivkumar since taking office.