BackCongress, JD(S) iron out differences over portfolio allocations
Congress and JD(S) reach an understanding to jointly field candidates in the upcoming Parliament bypolls for 3 seats Mandya, Ballari and Shikaripurain Karnataka
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Bengaluru: Both the Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S) and the Congress, the post-poll alliance partners in Karnataka, seem to have struck the right notes to keep the dissenters away before Wednesday’s cabinet expansion.
The differences between the two allies over portfolio allocations were discussed at length and ironed out, despite many leaders from both parties making no secret of their displeasure at not landing a cabinet berth.
However, the two parties have decided not to fill up all the allocated berths in order to keep room for dissenters.
Kunwar Danish Ali, the secretary general and national spokesperson of the JD(S) on Tuesday said that since the two parties are not going for a full cabinet expansion, there are chances that one minister could hold multiple portfolios —a contentious issue, considering the reduced number of portfolios available with each party and the large number of aspirants.
Denying reports of discord within their ranks and between each other, the two parties have also reached an understanding to jointly field candidates in the upcoming Parliament bypolls for three seats —Mandya, Ballari and Shikaripura—in Karnataka.
“We are going to have joint candidates in all the three Parliament elections. When we say it is a coalition for five years, we will go together," said Ali.
Besides, the JD(S) and the Congress have announced that they will fight the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together as part of efforts at opposition unity against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the centre.
The Congress, with 78 (now 79) seats had extended support to the JD(S) combine, which had managed just 38 seats, including one from Bahujan Samaj Party, to form the government in Karnataka. It had also accepted H.D. Kumaraswamy as the chief ministerial candidate of the coalition.
The arrangement saw many senior state Congress leaders lobby hard to land cabinet berths in the coalition government. According to the arrangement, the Congress will get 22 ministries and the JD(S) 12, including the CM’s portfolio.
The reduced number of portfolios saw several Congress leaders make a beeline to Delhi to impress upon the party high command in the hope of landing a cabinet berth.
The Congress and the JD(S) have made several compromises to keep the coalition intact and keep the BJP out of Karnataka. The JD(S) on Tuesday withdrew its candidate from the Jayanagar assembly constituency and announced support for the Congress candidate to beat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its stronghold.
Though the two parties fought the Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly elections on their own, Ali said that both parties want to ensure that the BJP does not win another assembly seat.
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