Sowmya Reddy, president of the Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress (KPMC), has resigned from her post, urging the Congress leadership to address the absence of women ministers in the Karnataka state cabinet. In a letter dated August 20, 2026, addressed to Alka Lamba, president of the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC), Reddy sought acceptance of her resignation, saying she had initially agreed to hold the position for two years.
Reflecting on her tenure, Reddy described it as a privilege to travel across Karnataka, meet women and discuss issues related to health, education and finance, while also encouraging them to join the Congress.
Alongside her resignation, Reddy raised concerns over the lack of women’s representation in the Karnataka cabinet and urged the party leadership to take up the issue with the Congress High Command. Reddy also thanked the Congress High Command, the All India Congress Committee (AICC), the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, serving and former chief ministers, MLAs, ministers and party workers for placing their trust in her leadership. Reddy also clarified that she would continue as Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress president until the party appoints her successor.
She said the party’s five guarantee schemes had made a significant difference to women’s lives and described their impact as a “women’s revolution on the ground”. “I request you again to bring to the attention of the leadership that we still don’t have a single woman minister in the Karnataka state government till now,” she wrote. Despite stepping down from the organisational post, Reddy reaffirmed her commitment to the Congress and said she would continue working for the party’s programmes and political goals.
