Kumaraswamy to meet Sonia, Rahul Gandhi today

Bengaluru: Ahead of his swearing-in as the Karnataka chief minister, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy will meet Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Monday to discuss the modalities of government formation.

Clarifying that no discussion has taken place so far on the allocation of ministerial berths, Kumaraswamy termed reports on the power-sharing formula of 30 months each between the parties as “bogus”.

“I’m visiting New Delhi tomorrow … I will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi and the party’s senior leader Sonia Gandhi,” he told reporters here.

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 added.

BS Yeddyurappa had yesterday stepped down as the chief minister without facing the floor test in the state assembly as the BJP fell short of numbers, following which Kumaraswamy met governor Vajubhai Vala, and said he had been invited to form the government.

The May 12 Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats.

While making it clear that there have been no discussions yet on the portfolio allocation, Kumaraswamy requested the media not to create confusion among the public and MLAs with such “speculative” reports.

He also asserted that within 24 hours of taking oath, he would prove the majority on the floor of the House.

“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.

Clarifying that no discussion has taken place so far with the Congress
on the allocation of ministerial berths, Kumaraswamy termed reports on the power-sharing formula of 30 months each between the parties as “bogus”.

“I’m visiting New Delhi tomorrow…I will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi and the party’s senior leader Sonia Gandhi,” he told reporters here.

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 added.

B.S. Yeddyurappa had on Saturday stepped down as the chief minister without facing the floor test in the Karnataka assembly as the BJP fell short of numbers, following which Kumaraswamy met Governor Vajubhai Vala, and said he had been invited to form the government.

The May 12 Karnataka assembly polls threw up a hung assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party with 104 seats.

While making it clear that there have been no discussions yet on the portfolio allocation, Kumaraswamy requested the media not to create confusion among the public and MLAs with such “speculative” reports.

He also asserted that within 24 hours of taking oath, he would prove the majority on the floor of the House.

“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 on Saturday 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.

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 Karnataka legislature).

However, Kumaraswamy said he had spoken to the Chief Secretary and other senior officials about it and they would take a call on the venue.

Kumaraswamy on Sunday met his father and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda at his residence and later visited the hotel where JD(S) MLAs are camping and held a meeting with them.