Congress-JD(S) to resume cabinet negotiations today, Kumaraswamy and Venugopal likely to finalise deputy CM for Karnataka
A day after meeting UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, Karnataka CM-designate HD Kumaraswamy is having a sit down with AICC General Secretary in Karnataka KC Venugopal to finalise the contentious issue of deputy CM post.
Soon after Congress and Janata Dal-Secular entered a post-poll alliance, it was reported that the outgoing party had offered the CM post to JD(S) while requesting a deputy CM post - most likely for G Parmeshwara. But the negotiations on the issue have dragged on since.
According to sources, there is a proposal to have two deputy chief ministers to strike a balance between the two parties. The JD(S) leader has already indicated that there won't be a rotational arrangement with Congress for the post of the chief minister.
Here are the LIVE Updates on Karnataka Cabinet negotiations:
07:40 pm: Dy CM will be G Parameshwara (Dalit face). Speaker from Congress & Dy Speaker from JDS. Out of 34 cabinet minister posts, 22 will be of Congress and 12 including CM will be of JDS. Portfolio allocation we will decide after the floor test: KC Venugopal
07:36 pm: 12 ministers to be fromm JD(S) and 22 ministers from Congress in the coalition government. Congress' G Parameshwara to be deputy CM, Ramesh Kumar to be Speaker.
07:10 pm:
06:54 pm: Karnataka chief minister-designate H D Kumaraswamy acknowledged today that running the Congress-JD(S) coalition government over the next five years will be a "big challenge" for him.
"This is a big challenge in my life. I'm not expecting that I will be able to fulfill my responsibilities as chief minister easily," Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn in as chief minister tomorrow, said.
06:33 pm: According to India TV sources, only CM and deputy CM will take oath on Wednesday. Deputy CM and Speaker will be from Congress party.
05:22 pm: Karnataka CM-designate HD Kumaraswamy, former CM Siddaramaiah, Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Mallikarjun Kharge, HD Revanna, DK Shivakumar attend Congress -JD(S) meeting to discuss portfolio sharing.
03:34 pm: I don't want to show my strength. I don't want to show my numbers. I have faith in Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. We all believe in one man resolution,that is the party high command. They will take a call on who has to be what: DK Shivakumar on issue of Deputy CM
02:00 pm: Most of the leaders, other than BJP leaders, will attend the oath taking ceremony tomorrow. Rahul Ji, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mayawati Ji, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Chandrababu Naidu, Stalin, several people are coming: Karnataka Chief Minister designate HD Kumaraswamy
12:10 pm: The negotiations between Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD(S)) are afoot in Karnataka. According to reports, speaker for the Karnataka Assembly will be from Congress. The local leaders, who are participating in the negotiations will most likely announce the name by the evening, reported ANI. Congress had earlier laid claim to the post of Speaker as the party has the larger numbers of seats in the alliance.
11:00 am: Supreme court refused to give an early hearing into the petition filed by Hindu Mahasabha that challenged the oath taking ceremony and appointment of H D Kumaraswamy as the Karnataka Chief Minister, stating it is unconstitutional.
10:30 am:
10:28 am:
10:15 am: "Rahulji cleared the modalities to be done, he has given permission to Karnataka General Secy KC Venugopal to discuss all issues and finalise everything. Local leaders and he'll sit together tomorrow to finalise things," Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting which took place at Rahul Gandhi's residence on Monday. After the meeting, Kumaraswamy promised a stable government in Karnataka and a "long-term relationship" with the Congress, as he invited top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to his swearing-in in Bengaluru on May 23.
Also read | Karnataka CM-designate HD Kumaraswamy meets Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi in Delhi amid tussle over Deputy CM's name
Only CM, deputy CM to take oath tomorrow; Speaker and deputy CM to be from Congress
10:00 am: According to highly-placed sources, the Congress-JD(S) combine will have a coordination committee to ensure smooth functioning of the coalition government in Karnataka, and the Assembly Speaker will be from the Congress.
The coordination committee will have five-six members.
09:30 am: The sources add that only a few ministers were likely to take oath initially on May 23 along with the chief minister and other modalities would be worked out in the coming days. However, the nominations for the Speaker's post would be filed the same day and the Congress has staked its claim to the post, it being the larger party.
09:00 am: During his trip to the national capital on Monday, Kumaraswamy expressed his gratitude to Sonia and Rahul for supporting the formation of a JD(S)-led government in Karnataka.
08:30 am: Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn in as chief minister on Wednesday for the second time in 12 years, also met his pre-poll ally BSP chief Mayawati. BSP bagged one seat.
Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn in as chief minister on Wednesday for the second time in 12 years, also met his pre-poll ally BSP chief Mayawati. BSP bagged one seat.
08:00 am: During his 20-minute meeting with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Kumaraswamy is understood to have discussed the nitty-gritty of Cabinet formation and the number of ministerial berths the Congress and the JD(S) would get. The meeting took place at Rahul Gandhi's Tughlak Lane residence.
Also read | Congress-JD(S) govt to swear-in on Wednesday: Here's first look at HD Kumaraswamy's tentative cabinet
Kumaraswamy is expected to take the floor test within 24 hours after being sworn in. Both Congress and JD(S) MLAs will remain confined to their hotels till the floor test, according to reports from Bengaluru.
Kumaraswamy was invited by Governor Vajubhai Vala to take the reins of power after the three-day BJP government collapsed last Saturday with BS Yeddyurappa, unable to muster the required number for a majority, stepped down as the chief minister without facing the floor test in the state assembly.
The May 12 Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung verdict with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats. The Congress was next with 78 and the JD(S) followed with 37. The BSP has one MLA and two seats went to Independents.
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