Muslim leaders seek Cabinet berth for community representative from Kalyana Karnataka

Published - August 06, 2026 07:49 pm IST - KALABURAGI

Maulana Shareef Mazaheri, district president of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi city on Thursday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Alleging that the Congress had reduced Muslims to a mere vote bank while denying them a fair share in political power, the Muslim religious leaders, members of the business community and social activists from the Kalyana Karnataka region on Thursday demanded the induction of a deserving Muslim leader from the region into the State Cabinet.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Maulana Shareef Mazaheri, president of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, Kalaburagi, stated that the Muslim community had consistently stood firmly behind the Congress over the years and had made a decisive contribution to the party’s electoral success in the region.

Recalling the contributions of the former Minister late Qamar-ul-Islam, he urged AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and the Congress high command to rectify the injustice by inducting a deserving Muslim leader from the region into the Cabinet.

Afzal Mahmood, secretary of the Joint Action Committee, Kalaburagi, alleged that despite the Congress repeatedly securing electoral support from Muslims in the Kalyana Karnataka region, the community had been consistently overlooked whenever the Cabinet positions were allocated.

Abdul Khadeer expressed strong resentment over what they termed the party’s continued neglect of Muslims from the Kalyana Karnataka region, alleging that while the community’s votes were actively sought during elections, it was denied meaningful participation in governance. They clarified that their demand was not for any particular individual but for the inclusion of any deserving Muslim legislator from the region in the State Cabinet to ensure equitable political representation.

Arif Maniyar, Usman Sab, Feroz Khan Wadi and Rauf Tambadkar were present.

Published - August 06, 2026 07:49 pm IST

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