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Ramakrishna Upadhya
In a clear sign that the formation of the Congress- JD(S) government in Karnataka is proving to be a tough job, CM-designate HD Kumaraswamy will, in all likelihood, be the only person to be sworn in on Wednesday — though Congress sources claimed five-six ministers could take oath alongside.
Kumaraswamy called on Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday and briefly discussed the issue of government formation, but the Cabinet is likely to be delayed till Friday.
During his 20-minute meeting, Kumaraswamy is understood to have discussed the nitty-gritty of Cabinet formation — the number of ministerial berths the Congress and JD(S) would hold. After the meeting, he said he had invited Sonia and Rahul for the swearing-in at Bengaluru and they had agreed to come.
Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn in as CM for the second time in 12 years, flew into the capital in the afternoon and began his engagements with a meeting with pre-poll ally BSP chief Mayawati. The BSP has one MLA.
Kumaraswamy, it is learnt, would recommend a one-day House session on Thursday to take up the confidence motion, which is expected to be a smooth affair. But he may find Cabinet formation a Herculean task.
The Congress, with 78 members, wants 20 of the 34 Cabinet posts. It wants two Deputy CMs, one from the Scheduled Castes and the other from the Lingayat community. KPCC president G Parameshwara, a Dalit, is almost certain to occupy one of the posts.
But there is more than one claimant from the Lingayat ranks for the second post. Seniormost member in the Assembly Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s (86) claim is being hotly contested by MB Patil, who was in the forefront of the movement for a separate status for the Lingayats.
The JD(S) too is eying the Deputy CM post. Also, there is bound to be a tussle for important portfolios — Finance, Home, Revenue, Industry and Transport. Sources say JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda wants his elder son HD Revanna to be given a clutch of important ministries, not only to appease him but to ensure the party’s hold over important departments.
More than half of JD(S) legislators belong to the Vokkaliga community. The party had performed well in south Karnataka, where the community dominates, sweeping all seven seats in Mandya and six of eight seats in Hassan. GT Deve Gowda, who defeated Siddaramaiah by 30,000 votes in Chamundeshwari, is eying an important portfolio. Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who played a key role in holding on to the party legislators, will also have to be accommodated.
All this will be on hold till Kumaraswamy’s oath-taking, which the coalition partners plan to turn into a mega show of Opposition unity.
Speaker post with Cong
New Delhi: After the meeting between HD Kumaraswamy and the Gandhis, it was clear that the Congress had sealed for itself at least the post of Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly. Another important decision arrived at was constituting a five or six-member coordination committee to frame a common minimum programme. for smooth governance. TNS
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