‘Senior partner’ Cong gives JD(S) idea of things to come

Hectic bargaining was under way between Congress and JD(S) for ministerial berths with MLAs of the former pressuring their leadership to drive a hard bargain in the capacity of the senior partner in the coalition.

However, failure to arrive at a consensus ended in the coalition leaders deferring their plan to put into office a larger council of ministers on Wednesday. The leaders had earlier decided to organise the oath-taking ceremony for eight ministers — four each from the two parties. Now, the larger ministry will take shape only on May 29.

At the Congress legislature party meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday, MLAs are reported to have vehemently exhorted their leaders to ensure that the party gets maximum berths in the new ministry, besides an assurance that the senior partner will get the CM’s post for the second half of the five-year tenure.


“JD(S) knows that given its number of MLAs, it is not in a position to keep pushing for what they want. They cannot have their CM for full five years and have a greater pie in the cabinet. Congress has earned the faith of different communities in the elections. This will have to be maintained. Otherwise, the party will find things difficult in the coming days,” said some MLAs who attended the meeting.

Congress workers from Mysuru gheraoed former CM Siddaramaiah’s official residence, seeking a cabinet berth for his son Dr Yathindra.

Two different Muslim organisations also sought the deputy CM’s post for Shivajinagar Congress MLA R Roshan Baig and Chamarajpet MLA B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan.

JD(S) has offered Congress 22 ministerial berths, including the deputy CM’s post. The ministry size is capped at 34, including the CM, in a house of 224.

While Veerashaiva-Lingayat Congress MLAs have put forth senior MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s name for the deputy CM’s post, the party is seriously considering giving berths only to Congress working president S R Patil and M B Patil since JD(S) is said to be not keen on having two deputy CMs.

In JD(S), four Vokkaligas — H D Revanna (Kumaraswamy’s elder brother), C S Puttaraju, G T Deve Gowda and D C Thammana — may make it to the ministry. Among other probables are B M Farooq, who lost in the recent RS polls, and Basavaraj Horatti, a Lingayat strongman from Hubballi.

Meanwhile, while Congress MLAs are still lodged in Hilton hotel near Kempegowda International Airport, JD (S) MLAs have been put up at a resort near Doddaballapur.