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Journalism of Courage
After a week-long drama, fraught with tension and hard-bargaining, which saw the Janata Dal(S) threatening to pull out of the coalition in Karnataka, both the parties — the Congress and JD(S) — have finally reached a deal on sharing of key portfolios.
Despite the threats issued by JD(S), it is the Congress which has managed to have its say. While the Congress will hold the Home portfolio — likely to go to Mallikarjuna Kharge — besides the key portfolio of Irrigation, the JD(S) will hold the Finance portfolio and the Revenue and Power Ministries.
The swearing-in ceremony of the Karnataka Cabinet will take place tomorrow. It is also learnt that the government’s expansion will be in two phases. Tomorrow, only five ministers each from both the parties will be sworn in.
The deal was finally clinched in a meeting between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda. Also present at the meeting were Karnataka CM Dharam Singh, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Vilasrao Deshmukh. From the JD(S), besides Gowda, Deputy CM Siddaramaiah was also present.
In a day of hectic confabulations, the first meeting took place between Ahmed Patel and Gowda at the latter’s residence. After the meeting with Patel, Gowda met with JD(S) leaders Deputy CM Siddaramaiah, M.P. Prakash and P.G.R. Scindia. They were later joined by Karnataka CM Dharam Singh, CWC member Vilasrao Deshmukh and Patel. Most of the problems on the key portfolios were sorted-out in this meeting. However, the final touches to the deal were given at Patel’s residence where Dharam Singh, Deputy CM Siddaramaiah and others JD(S) leaders were present.
Coming out of the meeting, CM Dharam Singh informed that they had more or less finalised the exercise of Ministry-making and said that the Ministry would be expanded tomorrow.
The final picture emerged after a meeting with Sonia Gandhi. A jubilant Dharam Singh stated that the swearing-in would take place tomorrow and in the first phase five ministers from both parties would be sworn-in.
The Congress leaders informed that the remaining key portfolios were still to be discussed and finalised. It is learnt that the Congress was keen to form the Ministry in two phases, a demand which has also been met by the JD(S).
In fact, it is the Congress which can claim to have succeeded in the bargain. While the JD(S) had been insisting from day one that the key portfolios come to them as per the Maharashtra model, the Congress leaders had put their foot down. They have not only got the key portfolio of Home, but have also got Irrigation. The other three portfolios are being worked out.
