Kumaraswamy’s party grabs Finance after Cong gives up demand and settles for Home
After days of negotiations, the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) on Thursday resolved their differences over sharing of portfolios, paving ways for the expansion of the HD Kumaraswamy Cabinet in Karnataka.
Kumaraswamy took oath of office on May 23 along with PCC chief G Parameshwara as Deputy Chief Minister.
The Congress has given up its demand for the plum Finance Ministry, which will now go to the JD(S). The Home Ministry will go to the Congress.
The sharing of key portfolios in the Karnataka Government has been a bone of contention between the two alliance partners since HD Kumaraswamy took over as Chief Minister on May 23, delaying Government formation in the State.
Kumaraswamy said details of the Congress-JD(S) coalition Government’s much awaited Cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation is likely to be made public on Friday. He said a decision has been arrived at with the consensus of everyone after several rounds of deliberations.
“I, Deve Gowda (JD-S supremo) and Venugopal (Congress general secretary) will sit together and discuss developments that have happened in Delhi and probably will come before public regarding Cabinet formation and portfolio allocation, as also on the coordination committee,” Kumaraswamy told reporters at Bengaluru.
AICC sources said party president Rahul Gandhi is on board over the portfolio sharing agreement and has spoken to leaders over the phone from the United States, where he is accompanying his mother Sonia Gandhi, who has gone for a medical check-up.
There are no “issues” on portfolio allocation, Kumaraswamy, in response to a question about Finance portfolio, said. “After several rounds of discussions, with consensus of everyone, a decision has been arrived at,” he added.
The leaders of the two parties held five rounds of talks since Wednesday to finalise the portfolio sharing arrangement between the partners. “The power-sharing arrangement between the two alliance partners has been finalised and is now in the final stage. The decision on when to make the formal announcement would depend on the leadership of the two parties,” AICC sources said.
Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal and JD(S) secretary general Danish Ali will hold further talks in Bengaluru with their State leaders before finalising the arrangement, the sources said.
“We have held five rounds of talks with each other and have decided that the JD(S) will get the Finance portfolio. I will be now travelling to Bengaluru to hold further talks within our party,” Ali said.
He said he would meet both Chief Minister HD Kumarswamy and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. leaders of the two parties, including Ali as well as the Congress’ Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot and Venugopal, met at the residence of senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for talks.