Sources say the Congress wants home, finance and PWD ministries for itself while the JD(S) is not ready to forgo the finance ministry.
New Delhi: Five days after taking oath as the chief minister of Karnataka, H.D. Kumaraswamy has still not been able to expand the cabinet in the state. As both Congress and JD(S) are still unclear over the allocation of portfolios, a marathon meeting of senior state Congress leaders and central leadership is currently taking place at the Delhi residence of Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha and a senior Congress leader.
As per the agreed formula, there will be 22 ministers from Congress while JD(S) will have 12 ministers including the CM.
Apart from Kumaraswamy, Congress leader G. Parameshwara also took oath as deputy chief minister of the state. In addition, Congress also got the speaker post to its MLA Ramesh Kumar.
Congress sources tell ThePrint that there is a difference of opinion between the party and JD(S) over portfolio allocation. Congress wants home, finance and PWD ministries for itself while JD(S) is not ready to forgo the finance ministry.
The meeting started 9.30 Monday morning at Azad’s South Avenue residence in Delhi. Senior state Congress leaders, Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar, G. Parameshwara, general secretary in-charge K.C. Venugopal were present in the meeting.
From the national leadership team, organisation general secretary Ashok Gehlot, senior leader Ahmed Patel, among others were present in the meeting.
At 10 am, chief minister Kumaraswamy reached Azad’s residence and joined the meeting for half an hour. He left later but the meeting continued. As per party sources, Kumaraswamy has agreed to give PWD and home but wants finance with his party.
Before leaving for Delhi, Kumaraswamy told media persons in Bengaluru, “I am at mercy of Congress. I am responsible for development of state. That is different. I have to do my job as CM. I have to take permission from Congress leaders. Without their permission, I can’t do anything. They have given me support.”
“There is no issue between us and the new cabinet will be announced soon,” said Venugopal.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has authorised senior Congress leaders from Karnataka and Delhi to decide on the portfolio allocation in the new government.
However, sources tell ThePrint that apart from the issue with JD(S), Congress is facing some internal issues over cabinet allocation to certain MLAs. Some of the senior state leaders are demanding important ministries for themselves. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah has also asked for few ministries to be given to his loyalists. It is the internal problem that is taking more time in coming to an agreement with the JD(S).
In the recently concluded elections, Congress won 78 seats, JD(S) 37 while BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104. Kumaraswamy won the trust vote Friday with 116 votes in the 222-member assembly.