Mysuru: Minister for Municipal Administration H.C. Balakrishna, Excise Minister K.M. Shivalingegowda and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad, who were on their maiden visit to the city after becoming Ministers, were felicitated at Indira Gandhi Congress Bhavan on JLB Road near the City Railway Station here yesterday.
While Balakrishna and Shivalingegowda were felicitated together, Rizwan Arshad was felicitated at a different event at the same venue.
Speaking after being felicitated, H.C. Balakrishna said that he became a Congress MLA from Magadi for the first time in the 2023 Assembly polls. Noting that though he had won 3 times on a JD(S) ticket and once on a BJP ticket earlier, he is now a junior Congress Legislator when compared to other party leaders.
“Though every Congress legislator is eligible to become a Minister, however, not all of them can be made as Ministers. I am willing to quit to make way for others if the CM asks. But the CM is unwilling”, he said while stressing that a Congress leader can enjoy power only if the party survives.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad being felicitated as MLA K. Harishgowda, former MLC Marithibbegowda, District Congress President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, City Congress President R. Murthy and others look on.
Excise Minister Shivalingegowda said he began his political career as an NSUI leader under the leadership of the then Congress leader H.N. Nanjegowda in 1983. Maintaining that he is basically opposed to the RSS, he said he grew up adapting Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology and as such the RSS ideology won’t suit him.
Stating that he re-joined the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls following an invitation from Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar, he said his job is to strengthen the party based in his home district of Hassan. Noting that he is the lone Congress Legislator in the district, Shivalingegowda said he would follow the diktat of KPCC President B.K. Hariprasad asking all Congress Ministers to visit the party office at whatever district they visit. Accordingly, he visited the party office in Mysuru where he was warmly feted by the party workers, for which he was grateful, he noted.
Rizwan Arshad, who was felicitated at the Congress Bhavan in another event, said he was a native of Mysuru and had his education in Mysuru.
Asserting that he has a lot of concerns for the people of Mysuru, he said that Rahul Gandhi and former CM Siddaramaiah had helped him a lot in becoming a Minister in the D.K. Shivakumar cabinet. Pointing out that D.K. Shivakumar has given prominence to young leaders in his cabinet, Arshad said he has the responsibility of organising the youth force behind the Congress party, which he said was the only party capable of taking on the BJP.
MLA K. Harishgowda, City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr. B.J. Vijaykumar, KEA Chairman Ayub Khan, former MLC Marithibbegowda, State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority Vice-Chairperson Dr. Pushpa Amarnath and others were present.
This post was published on September 2, 2026 7:30 pm