Congress MLAs press for more in ministry

Bengaluru: After a lot of arguments and bargains in the sharing of ministerial berths between the Congress and the JD(S), a joint decision was arrived at. The numbers for each of the party in the Council of Ministers was decided- 22 for Congress and 12 for JD(S). However, the coalition leaders cancelled their plan to put the Council of Ministers into office on Wednesday. Earlier, it was decided that four ministers from each party will be sworn-in during the ceremony on Wednesday. Now, the larger ministry will come into shape only on May 29.

Trouble was stirred at the Congress legislature party meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday, when party MLAs exhorted their leaders in order to make sure that the party gets the maximum number of berths in the ministry. They have also demanded that a senior partner should occupy the Chief Minister post for the second half of the five-year tenure.

“The JD(S) cannot have their CM for full five years and have a greater pie in the cabinet. The Congress has earned the faith of different communities in the elections. This will have to be maintained. Otherwise, the party will find things difficult in the coming days,” said an MLA.