Congress blinks, may let CM keep finance portfolio

BENGALURU: Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy is likely to keep the

finance portfolio

, a bone of contention between JD(S) and Congress, with the latter said to be agreeable to the former’s demand, sources said Tuesday.


It appears that Kumaraswamy’s father HD Deve Gowda’s deft navigation is behind JD(S) winning the battle. Just a week ago when Kumaraswamy took oath as chief minister, he had told TOI that his father would not be doing any backseat driving. While Congress sources said the finance portfolio will not be a “sticking point”, the party would wait to see what other berths it gets. It was also indicated that the party did not want to prolong uncertainty over cabinet formation as it would spur speculation over a power tussle. The new ministry formation may take place after June 2.

Sources told TOI that all discussions between the two coalition partners were happening “at the top level” where it was reluctantly agreed by Congress to give the finance portfolio to JD(S), notwithstanding arguments by the former that during the 2004 and 2006

coalition governments in Karnataka

, the portfolio was with the respective deputy CMs “Congress was told the situation is different from 2004 and 2006 and hence those precedents cannot be cited now,’’ they added.

Congress was reminded by JD(S) over several rounds of meetings in New Delhi that it had offered unconditional support for five years when it agreed to form the government, sources said.

HDK to announce loan waiver today?
CM HD Kumaraswamy is likely to announce a loan waiver scheme for the farmers on Wednesday. An in-principle decision in this regard will be taken by a cabinet meeting, while seeking time from farmers to work out the details. The announcement will be made at a meeting with representatives of farmers’ associations in Vidhana Soudha. BS Yeddyurappa has been invited to the meeting. P 7

‘Main motive is to run coalition’

During a discussion in Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad’s house in New Delhi on Monday, Kumaraswamy was reportedly told the formula (of Congress keeping finance) was based on the Maharashtra coalition governments headed by late Vilasrao Deshmukh and later Ashok Chavan. In both instances, the second partner was given finance. Kumaraswamy then sought time to consult Deve Gowda.

Another meeting between Congress leaders Azad, Ashok Gehlot, KC Venugopal and JD(S) secretarygeneral K Danish Ali was held late Tuesday evening to firm up the portfolio-sharing formula wherein Congress ceded to the JD(S) demand for the finance portfolio, sources said.

The JD(S) also justified the delay in ministry formation with Ali saying: “It takes a week or two even for a single-party government having majority to form the ministry. In Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Singh Yadav took two weeks to constitute his ministry though he had a majority. The main motive of the Congress-JD(S) alliance is to run the coalition.’’