Published 15:24 IST, August 10th 2018
Here is the JD(S)-Congress Karnataka cabinet compromise formula
The JD(S)-Congress alliance appears to have struck up a compromise formula to resolve the cabinet formation deadlock.
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After coming under pressure from several quarters within the state and with newly sworn-in Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy making increasingly frequent statements against his newfound-ally Congress, the JD(S)-Congress alliance appears to have struck up a compromise formula to resolve the cabinet formation deadlock.
As per Republic TV's sources, the wrangle over the critical state Finance and Home portfolios will be sorted thusly:
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Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) will get the Finance portfolio Deputy CM G Parameshwara of the Congress will get the Home portfolio, except for the intelligence department, which will go to the CM.
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The matter of portfolio allocation for the alliance had appeared to be a speed-breaker ever since the Congress extended its unconditional support to the JD(S) to stake claim to form a government in Karnataka.
Before Parameshwara was selected to be the Deputy Chief Minister, speculation had been rife that DK Shivakumar and his supporters wanted him to assume the role. Shivakumar had played a significant role in ensuring that the Congress keeps its flock together amid alleged overtures from the BJP which was trying to engineer defections to form its own majority.
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While the BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the May 12 election securing 104 seats, it fell short of the 112 magic figure needed for a majority. Meanwhile, despite the Congress being reduced to just 78 seats and the JD(S) winning only 37, the former offered the latter its unconditional support to form a government. Along with three other MLAs, the Congress-JD(S) alliance has claimed to have 117 seats (Kumaraswamy won from two constituencies).
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After both sides staked their claim to form a government, a massive controversy had broken out as the Karnataka Governor invited the BJP and Yeddyurappa to form a government and gave them 15 days to prove their majority on the floor of the house. The matter was challenged at an emergency over-night hearing in the Supreme Court, which a day later held that a floor test should be held the very next day, which eventually saw Yeddyurappa announcing his resignation in an emotional speech where he accused the Congress and the JD(S) of hijacking the people's mandate.
Kumaraswamy was sworn in on May 23. 2018, in a ceremony that saw a number of Opposition leaders including several party chiefs and Chief Ministers coming together in a show of strength and unity. Both parties have, however, kept their MLAs on a short leash to prevent any defections as they had feared before the Yeddyurappa floor test. At that time, both parties had sent their MLAs all the way to Hyderabad to avoid horse-trading.
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13:59 IST, May 31st 2018