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Journalism of Courage
The bonhomie between the Congress and Janata Dal (S)—coalition partners in Karnataka—appears to have ended over ministry formation.
Talks between both parties in New Delhi hit a roadblock on Wednesday, after Congress leaders expressed reservations on sharing portfolios along the lines of the Maharashtra model—a stand that has reportedly irked former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
JD(S) leader and Gowda’s son H.D. Kumaraswamy said it was the Congress which insisted on the formation of a Maharashtra-model coalition government, but now, was going back on the terms.
In Maharashtra, the Congress is leading the government as a bigger partner and the deputy chief ministership has been allotted to its junior ally,the NCP. Both parties have shared the key portfolios.
The Congress wants to keep key portfolios like finance, home and power with it, which, Kumaraswamy said, was nothing but a breach of the agreement between them.
Kumaraswamy made it clear that there were no differences in his party on ministry expansion and that it was prepared to go in for a one-time exercise, unlike the Congress, which wants it in installments.
Gowda, in the meanwhile, hardened his stand saying he would not take the lead in reopening talks with the Congress. ‘‘Let the Congress decide what it wants to do and come to us. I don’t want to meet anyone,’’ he says.
