HDK:Dissent common during Cabinet formation

Trying to downplay the rising dissent among leaders in both Congress and the JD(S) over their exclusion from his cabinet, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said that disgruntlement was commonplace during the formation of any government.

Addressing the media after holding an informal cabinet meeting with the newly inducted ministers, Kumaraswamy said protests had erupted during the formation of cabinets during the earlier regimes too. “In 2008, the BJP formed the government independently. During its first cabinet expansion, protests erupted in many places, including Anekal, Hubballi, Dharwad and Haveri. I still remember how supporters of some MLAs had torched buses and damaged public property. This is a coalition government. It’s not possible to accommodate everybody into the cabinet,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the Congress would try and quell the dissidence by taking the ministerial aspirants into confidence. “While the Congress has kept six berths vacant, the JD(S) has kept one berth vacant. This was done specifically to ensure that there is no dissent in future. As many as 80 leaders in Congress are eligible to become ministers. But we can accommodate only 22. But the aspirants need not worry,” he said.

Parameshwara clarified that there was no confusion pertaining to portfolio sharing. When asked about rumours that the energy portfolio, which is presently with the JD(S), would be handed over to the Congress, Parameshwara said, “There is no confusion as far as portfolios are concerned, including energy. There were absolutely no discussions on this matter.”

He said that the two parties would finalise portfolio allocation by Thursday. Parameshwara, who is also the KPCC president, said he would personally speak to disgruntled MLAs, including M B Patil (Babaleshwar), and pacify them.

“All senior leaders are eligible for positions both in the party and government. We will talk to them individually and address their grievances,” he added. When asked about the implementation of promises made by both parties, Parameshwara said that the government would soon draw up the common minimum programme.