The coordination committee of the coalition of JD(S) and the Congress which met in Bengaluru on Sunday under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sorted out all the contentious issues which was circulated for the past fifteen days and its all now a smooth affair. The committee gave a go ahead to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy who also holds the finance portfolio to present the new Budget on July 5 and also cleared farm loan wavier proposed by the JD(S) party in its manifesto, prior to May 12 elections in Karnataka.
In what appeared to be a climb down by the major partner Congress, the committee also approved the Common Minimum Programme for the Government with farm loan write off being the main contention but Congress had no other go but to accept it under the coalition compulsions.
The Committee headed by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had raised some objections earlier, was sidelined in the meeting on Sunday. Briefing the media JD(S) general secretary Danish Ali said the Common Minimum Programme of the new Government was finalised with ‘minimum changes’. He however said the popular programmes of the previous Congress Government will be continued with ‘small adjustments’.
He said the major decision taken by the meeting was that the coalition Government will allocate in the next five years Rs 1.25 lakh crore funds for irrigation and also construct 20 lakh homes during the same period for the homeless.
“We discussed the Common Minimum Programme and we have arrived at the final decision in today’s meeting presided over by Siddaramaiah. This will give the Government assent to present its new Budget on July 5 and also give assent for the new Government to implement the farmers’ loan waiver scheme, that will be implemented at the earliest,’’ he said.
Ali said that the confusion over the presentation of new Budget was resolved in the meeting which will be presented by Kumaraswamy, who also holds the Finance portfolio, on June 5. “Please wait till then’’.
Ali also said appointment for the Boards and Corporations will also be sorted out between the two coalition partners. “We have exchanged the lists and those aspirants will be accommodated accordingly after studying their profiles, he said.
On expansion of the Cabinet, the JD(S) leader was not committal saying that the party had just one vacant post in its ‘quote’ and Congress six. He said some other schemes like newly drafted Arogya scheme and the New Sports Policy had been approved by the Committee.
With differences cropping up between ruling coalition partners in Karnataka over budget presentation and other issues, senior leaders of the JDS and the Congress had met in Bengaluru on Sunday to settle differences. Siddaramaiah who was sulking to take control of the party has been sidelined and was asked to follow the diktat by the party high command.
The meeting sorted out many issues which had threatened the longevity of the Government and also brought some order after Siddaramaiah questioned the credibility of presenting a new Budget by Kumaraswamy. HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) is holding a fragile coalition with JD(S) being the minor partner with 37 seats and Congress having 79 in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly. The opposition BJP has 104 seats but failed to form the Government after the 2018 May elections.
The coalition Government in Karnataka brought opposition parties together in a platform to fight the BJP in 2019 elections.