HDK Seeks Sonia’s Help to Keep Congressmen at Bay

HDK rushing to Delhi to meet Sonia to seek help to keep noisy Congressmen at bay.

With pressure for plum portfolios mounting from Karnataka Congress leaders, chief minister designate and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy is rushing to Delhi tomorrow for an urgent  meeting with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Sources in the JD(S) said Kumaraswamy has been getting demands for portfolios not from the Karnataka PCC chief but from top local leaders. These leaders have been adamantly demanding key portfolios like Home, Finance, Power and PWD.

Clearly fed up with the demands, Kumaraswamy wants either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi to give a list of which Congress leaders to be included in the Cabinet and their portfolios.

The sources said Kumaraswamy has made up his mind on the portfolio that the JD(S) wants and there would be no compromise on these.

Kumaraswamy on Sunday met his father and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda at his residence and had a detailed talk on government formation. The senior Gowda has reportedly ticked the portfolios that the JD(S) will keep.

He will have detailed discussion with Sonia and Rahul on the modalities of government formation. He will also be extending an invitation to the two leaders to attend the swearing in ceremony.

Based on the outcome of discussions with them, a decision will be taken on the number of Congress and JD(S) MLAs who will become ministers, Kumaraswamy told the media here today.

HDK made it clear that there will be no power-sharing formula of 30 months each between the parties. This is a speculation and “bogus,” he said.

There was a power-sharing formula earlier between the JD(S) and BJP in 2007 which collapsed when Kumaraswamy refused to go by the agreement and hand over power to Yeddyurapppa.  

HDK said he would prove his majority within 24 hours of taking oath. “Mostly on Wednesday there will be oath-taking ceremony after that on Thursday we will complete the process of Speaker’s election and trust vote,” he added.

After meeting the governor, Kumaraswamy had said on Saturday 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.

The venue of the swearing-in is also likely to be changed, with party sources now saying it is likely to take place at Vidhana Soudha (the seat of the state legislature).

HDK has already started facing a few acid tests. On Sunday, actor Rajinikanth said now that Karnataka has a government, it should release water to Tamil Nadu as per Supreme Court order.

Reacting to this statement, Kumaraswamy indicated that water will not be released as Karnataka has no water to spare to TN. “I will invite Rajinikanth. Let him see the situation in our dams. He will change his mind”, he said.

That is easier said than done. Tamil Nadu will never give up its demand and Kuramaswamy will have a headache from the neighbouring state very soon.