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Journalism of Courage
Karnataka Chief Minister-designate HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday brushed aside reports about his party, JD(Secular), working out a power-sharing formula of heading the government for 30 months each with the Congress. “No such talks have taken place,” Kumaraswamy was quoted as saying by PTI.
On Saturday, JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy was invited by Governor Vajubhai Vala to form the government with its post-poll alliance partner Congress after B S Yeddyurappa threw in the towel and announced his decision to resign without putting the confidence motion to vote in the Karnataka Assembly.
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Earlier, a section of the media reported that the coalition partners have struck an agreement by the virtue of which, leaders from both the parties shall be able to occupy the CM’s designation in the state on a rotational period of thirty months each. The possibilities of such an agreement were being speculated in the light of the 2006 BJP- JD(S) alliance, in which Kumaraswamy offered to share the chief minister’s designation for a 20-month period with BJP’s Yeddyurappa. Kumaraswamy, however, refused to vacate the CM’s office which resulted in the collapse of the government.
The elections that followed the collapse of the alliance witnessed BJP coming to power on its own with Yeddyurappa as the new chief minister, and becoming the first BJP ever leader to become the chief minister of a southern state.
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On reports about disagreements with Congress leaders pertaining to elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Jayanagar assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy downplayed them as ‘bogus’.
“It is bogus news…No such discussions have taken place. Wining Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Jayanagara is a necessity. Till now, no such discussions have happened,” he was quoted as saying. While voting was deferred in Rajarajeshwari Nagar over allegations of electoral malpractice, election to the Jayanagar seat was revoked following the death of the BJP candidate.
After meeting the governor, Kumaraswamy had yesterday said the swearing-in ceremony would take place tentatively between 12 noon and 1.50 pm at Kanteerava stadium on May 21. But, later he announced that the event would be held on May 23 as May 21 happens to be the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
