MYSURU: The decision of the Karnataka government to involve 22 ministers in the supervision of this year’s Mysuru Dussehra has triggered discussion within political circles, particularly over the role of Mysuru district in-charge minister and MLC Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah in the flagship festival.
For years, the Mysuru district in-charge minister has traditionally played a prominent role in coordinating the Dussehra celebrations, from reviewing preparations to overseeing major events. This year, however, the government has distributed responsibilities for different parts of the festival among several ministers. Reports said 22 ministers have been assigned responsibilities connected with various events and arrangements.
The move has led to speculation in political circles over whether Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is seeking a more collective arrangement for the festival or whether it could reduce the prominence of the district in-charge minister. However, there has been no official statement suggesting that the decision was taken to curtail Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s role.
A report in Star of Mysore said the government has decided to involve 22 ministers in overseeing different segments and daily events of Dussehra 2026, while the district minister would retain overall supervision. The report said the move was linked to the expanded scale of this year’s celebrations and the need for different departments to coordinate their respective responsibilities.
The official Mysuru Dussehra website also shows that the festival is being organised through a high-power committee headed by the Chief Minister, with the Kannada and Culture Minister and Mysuru district in-charge minister as vice-presidents. The district administration is responsible for implementation, while 18 sub-committees are handling different events.
Yathindra Siddaramaiah has sought to play down speculation about differences within the Congress. He said there was no disagreement or political strategy behind the government’s decision and described the arrangement as a new concept of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
According to Yathindra, the objective is to conduct the Nada Habba in a more organised manner by involving ministers from different parts of the state. His comments indicate that he views the distribution of responsibilities as an administrative arrangement rather than a move aimed at reducing his role.
The discussion has nevertheless gained attention because Yathindra was appointed Mysuru district in-charge minister after the new government took charge. The official district in-charge allocation issued in August lists Yathindra as the minister responsible for Mysuru district.
A separate report by Star of Mysore noted that ministers including Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Energy Minister K.J. George held departmental meetings in Mysuru to review Dussehra-related preparations. The report also said Yathindra was not present at those particular meetings, prompting questions in political circles about the distribution of responsibilities.
At the same time, the official Dussehra programme indicates that Yathindra continues to have a prominent role in major events. He is scheduled to inaugurate the drone show at Bannimantap on October 17 as the Urban Development Minister and Mysuru district in-charge minister. The drone show is one of the major attractions planned for this year’s celebrations.
The government’s decision comes as preparations are being made for an expanded Dussehra programme. The official schedule places the main celebrations between October 11 and 21, with several cultural, sporting and public events planned across Mysuru. The festival will also feature a large-scale drone show, while illumination arrangements and other attractions are being organised by various departments.
The distribution of responsibilities among ministers could therefore be viewed in two ways. Supporters of the arrangement can point to greater departmental coordination and the participation of ministers in monitoring specific events. At the same time, the departure from the traditional model of concentrating much of the coordination under the district in-charge minister has naturally generated political discussion.
For the Congress leadership, the arrangement also provides a way to involve a larger number of ministers in one of Karnataka’s most prominent cultural festivals. The official structure makes clear that the Chief Minister heads the high-power committee, while the district in-charge minister remains part of the top-level organising structure.
The political speculation surrounding the move therefore remains largely interpretative. There is no documented official statement confirming that the allocation of responsibilities was intended to limit Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s influence. Yathindra himself has rejected that interpretation and described the decision as an administrative initiative aimed at making the festival more systematic and grand.
With Mysuru Dussehra approaching, attention will now remain on how the ministers coordinate their assigned responsibilities and how the district administration implements the programme. The continued presence of Yathindra in the official Dussehra structure, including his scheduled role at the drone show, indicates that he remains an important part of the festival’s administration even as the government has expanded ministerial participation.
