Soon after B.S. Yeddyurappa quit as Chief Minister, parleys between Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) leaders began on Saturday night over the composition of the new dispensation. They are to work out the modalities, including formation of a coordination committee after the Governor extended an invitation to JD (S) legislature party leader H.D. Kumaraswamy to form the government.
While Mr. Kumaraswamy is set to take over as Chief Minister on Wednesday, Congress sources indicated that Pradesh Congress Committee president G. Parameshwara could be made Deputy Chief Minister.
Ministerial berths
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is coordinating the discussions between the leaders of the JD(S) and the Congress, who met at a hotel in the city to hammer out finer details of the alliance, including the number of Ministers from each party.
With the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) having a pre-poll alliance with the JD(S), the lone BSP MLA Mahesh is likely to get a berth.
Asked if his brother and former Minister H.D. Revanna would be part of the government, Mr. Kumaraswamy told reporters soon after meeting the Governor: “Our party will decide on those who will be taken as Ministers and the Congress will draw its list.”
Among other important decisions is the setting up of a coordination committee to implement a common programme that can be adopted by the alliance parties since both parties had different manifestos. In fact, Mr. Kumarswamy said the decision on the farm loan waiver — one of the announcements in the JD(S) manifesto — would be taken after these modalities are worked out. Earlier, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah indicated that the two parties would have discussions on having a coordination committeeto ensure smooth sailing for the alliance.
With Mr. Kumaraswamy attempting to form a national narrative by involving leaders of other regional parties, his swearing-in is likely to be attended by the Chief Ministers of other States, apart from senior Congress leaders, including party president Rahul Gandhi. The JD(S) leader is scheduled to meet Mr. Gandhi and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, in New Delhi on Monday.
“I have extended invitation to Mamata Banerjee, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav for the swearing in ceremony while I will be inviting former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Mr.Rahul Gandhi on Sunday,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.
When asked if he fears vengeful action by the BJP led union government through Income Tax department and enforcement directorate, he said: “I am not afraid of IT or ED nor they can instil fear in me. I am also aware that BJP has kept Operation Kamala option open in future. I will handle it.”
