BENGALURU: All is well between Congress and JD(S) — this is the message that the coordination committee of the coalition government is desperate to send across to the public. The partners put up a united front at the third meeting on Friday evening chaired by former chief minister Siddaramaiah. Rejecting all speculation of dissent in the coalition, Siddaramaiah said the government is “totally stable and will survive for five years”. The committee chairman even denied making any statement that could be interpreted as a threat to the H D Kumaraswamy-led government.
Key decisions at the meeting included a timeline for the cabinet expansion. The committee has decided on the third week of September for the exercise. Six berths from the Congress’ quota and one from JD(S) are yet to be filled in the 34-member cabinet. “MLAs of both parties will also be appointed as chiefs of boards and corporations at the same time. Twenty legislators of the Congress and 10 legislators of JDS will be considered,” Siddaramaiah said, briefing the media after the meet.
According to sources privy to discussion, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Thursday, was put in a spot regarding transfers of officials which the Congress believes is “indiscriminate and uncoordinated”. While the cabinet cleared the chief minister’s proposal to waive `32,000 crore farm loan from nationalised banks, the coordination committee is said to have taken exception to the matter not being brought before it.
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah held a meeting with Congress leaders including AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, K C Venugopal, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao at his residence to discuss these issues.
Parameshwara is said to have raised the matter of reservation-based promotions for SC/ST employees which is facing impediments in implementation. While Siddaramaiah acknowledged that the matter was raised, he chose to limit his response. “We are waiting for the Supreme Court’s order in the matter and will see what best can be done,” he said.
Siddaramaiah who shot down speculation of a rift between him and the CM said the farm loan waiver was an achievement of the government.
“Loan waiver is the decision of both parties. Is it not an achievement? All the programmes announced and launched by the previous government are being implemented and the credit should go to both parties,” he said.
“We request the media not to speculate anymore. There is a written agreement between both parties that this government, led by H D Kumaraswamy, will complete the full five-year term and that we will go in alliance for the Lok Sabha polls,” said Danish Ali, Secretary General of JD(S).
Members of the Congress-JD(S) coordination committee were all smiles for the camera ahead of the Friday meeting, but sources suggest that it was a stormy affair despite the picture of composure projected outside. The attempt to paint a rosy picture of the coalition comes as no surprise.
Key decisions