Protests continue unabated as Congress leaders who denied a spot in the HD Kumaraswamy ministry have begun to openly criticise the party’s stand. The issue is throwing up yet another challenge for the party in Karnataka, where it came to power with the JD(S) only late last month. While most senior leaders are not willing to rock the boat , but want to express their anger through the protests by their supporters.

Legislators who were left out of Wednesday’s Cabinet expansion met their supporters at hotels in Bengaluru and upped the ante against the party brass. MB Patil, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, HK Patil and Satish Jharkiholi have a grouse against the Congress high-command and senior State leaders for “ignoring their seniority and service to the party”.

The newly-inducted ministers Zameer Ahmed Khan and Krishna Byre Gowda met the dissenting legislators. Both the leaders spent the day meeting the disgruntled lot individually, and assured of them that they would be considered during a Cabinet reshuffle in the two years. Not many were convinced by the effort, doubting whether the party really meant what they were saying.

While twenty-five members were inducted into the Kumaraswamy Cabinet on Wednesday as per the power-sharing formula. The Grand Old Party had left seven berths vacant to contain a revolt, which has now come true. Sources tell newsbasics that induction of 4 more disgruntled MLA’s may take place in end of June.

MB Patil, who is said to be firm on a ministerial position, said “I was an aspirant for the deputy chief minister’s post. Now, I am not even considered for a Cabinet minister’s post. Hence, I am not keen on getting a berth in the next reshuffle.” Supporters of former RD&PR minister H K Patil and Former Minister Roshan Baig have also been protesting against the non-inclusion of the two leaders.

While the criteria for exclusion was implemented for the senior leaders, the exception made for former Industries Minister R V Deshpande and Former Energy minister D K Shivakumar has raised questions.