JDS-Congress govt in Karnataka starts cementing exercise; to extend Cabinet soon

The ruling JDS-Congress coalition in Karnataka has decided to take a number of steps aimed at reinforcing their alliance in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

This exercise, also with an eye on the BJP’s efforts for queering their coalition pitch, will see many MLAs of both parties getting ministerial posts and also chairmanships — with the status of ministers of state — at state government-run commissions and boards.

The three-month-old HD Kumaraswamy cabinet will be expanded in the third week of September, with the induction of seven new ministers trough castereligion balancing acts and by accommodating some sulking leaders, sources in both parties said.


While the Congress, which has 18 ministers currently, will get six more berths, the JDS will induct a new minister that will take its count in the Cabinet to a dozen, including the chief minister, they said.

The decision was made at a coalition ordination committee meeting a couple of days ago. Both sides will start finalising the names of their nominees after the return of Congress president Rahul Gandhi from his ongoing Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage and coalition coordinating committee chairman Siddaramaiah from his foreign trip.

The state government will appoint chairpersons of its various commissions and boards. Of the total 70 such bodies, 30 will have chairpersons with the status of ministers of states, exclusively from among the sitting Congress and JDS MLAs. The Congress will get twothirds of these positions.

“The coalition is working smoothly and we will fight the Lok Sabha polls together,” JDS-Congress coordination committee convener Danish Ali toldET. “We are holding preparatory meetings in districts and constituencies for the Lok Sabha polls,” said the AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, KC Venugopal.

Through the same proportions, both parties will fill up the six vacancies (including three for nominations) in the legislative council and one Anglo-Indian quota in the assembly.

It is also decided that even though both parties contested separately in last week’s polls to urban local bodies, they will try to join hands wherever fractured verdicts are thrown in.