Portfolio demands grow as Kumaraswamy readies to take charge, focus on key Congress-JD(S) meeting today

With a day to go for the HD Kumaraswamy government’s inauguration demands for portfolios grew with leaders of various parties and outfits posturing ahead of the swearing in .

A group of Muslim organisations demanded on Tuesday that a minority leader be made the deputy chief minister of the state.

Either seven-time Congress MLA Roshan Baig or some other leader from the Muslim community should be made the deputy CM in the new government in Karnataka, the representatives of the organisations said in Bengaluru, according to news agency ANI.

“What is wrong in it? Why not? If people from other communities can make demands then why can’t people from my community? But, in the end high command will decide,” said Baig on Muslim organisations demanding that he be made deputy chief minister.

Congress leader DK Shivakumar, who was instrumental in keeping the Congress flock together in the run-up to BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa’s trust vote, is also reported to be an aspirant for the deputy CM post.

But that possibility appears to be dim given that he is a Vokkaliga, a community to which Kumaraswamy belongs.

”I don’t want to show my strength. I don’t want to show my numbers. I have faith in Rahul Gandhi & Sonia Gandhi. We all believe in one man resolution,that is the party high command. They will take a call on who has to be what,” Shivakumar told ANI when asked about his chances of becoming the deputy CM.

A leader close to Shivakumar said if he doesn’t get the deputy chief minister’s post, he is demanding that he should get the home minister’s portfolio as well as the post of the state Congress chief.

Amid speculations, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party’s first objective was the election of the speaker of the Karnataka assembly and then the vote of confidence, expected to be held within 24 hours after Janata Dal (Secular) leader Kumaraswamy takes oath.

“Other things will be discussed only after these two are sorted,” Kharge was quoted as saying.

Kumaraswamy faces a delicate balancing act in allocating portfolios in his coalition government, with some key posts likely to go to post-poll ally Congress.

The Congress and the JD(S) will announce the decisions regarding the formalities of the government formation in Karnataka after a combined meeting of the legislators of the two parties in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Both parties have decided not to lower their guards and confine their respective legislators to hotels till the floor test amid internal differences and also to avoid desertions.

The two parties will set up a joint coordination committee and formulate a common minimum programme for the smooth functioning of their coalition government in Karnataka over the next five years. The committee will have five to six members.

The decision was taken at a 20-minute meeting between Kumaraswamy and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday evening.

A Congress leader, who was part of the deliberations, said the JD(S) has also agreed to leave the Speaker’s post for the Congress. Seventy-one-year-old leader RV Deshpande, a Brahmin, is among the front-runners for the post.

A JD(S) leader said the leaders also discussed the possibility of sole Bahujan Samaj Party legislator N Mahesh getting a cabinet berth. The Mayawati-led BSP and the JD(S) had a pre-poll alliance in the state.

Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting that Rahul Gandhi has authorised Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal to discuss all the modalities related to the government formation, including the issue of deputy chief minister’s post, with the JD(S) leadership and the party’s local leaders.

“There is no bargain. We will cordially work things out. We must work together. I am here to take the advice of Congress leaders,” Kumaraswamy said when asked how the two sides are going to address the sticking points related to government formation.

“We are going to give a stable government. All these issues are not yet discussed. We have not discussed any future course of action,” he said.

The sources said during the meeting Kumaraswamy promised to provide good governance in Karnataka and said he would be seeking Rahul Gandhi’s advice on all important issues. The Congress chief also extended his full support to the JD(S) chief for the “long-term relationship”.

“There is no bargain. We will cordially work out things. We must work together. I am here to take their (Congress leaders) advice,” said Kumaraswamy when asked by newsmen ahead of the meeting how the Congress and the JD(S) will address the issue of ministry formation.

“We are going to give a stable government. All these issues are not yet discussed. We have not discussed any future course of action.”