AHV wants Muslim from JD(S) inducted into Cabinet

JD(S) state president leader A H Vishwanath on Tuesday urged Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to give representation to a Muslim leader from the party in his Cabinet.

“In Andhra Pradesh, a deputy chief minister post is given to the community. Though the coalition government has completed one year, there is no
representation for Muslims from the JD(S),” A H Vishwanath told reporters.

Vishwanath’s statement adds credence to speculation in political circles that the JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda has decided to induct party MLC B M Farooq during the Cabinet expansion scheduled on June 14.

Sources in JD(S) said coalition partner Congress has been mounting pressure on the regional party to induct two independents – R Shankar and N Nagesh – under its quota into the Cabinet. But Gowda has been insisting that the independent MLAs should be accommodated under the quota of
both the parties. Of three Cabinet vacancies, two belong to the JD(S) and one to the Congress.

Vishwanath further said he was firm on his decision to quit as the state JD(S) president. “I have already resigned. The question of me reconsidering does not arise,” he added.