Karnataka coalition: CM plus 11 berths for JD(S); DyCM plus 21 berths for Congress

Bengaluru, May 23: After several rounds of meetings and consultations an understanding has been reached on sharing of berths in the Ministry between the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) in H D Kumaraswamy-led government. With the size of the Ministry fixed at 34, the Congress will get 22 berths, including that of Deputy Chief Minister, while the JD(S) will get 12, including the Chief Minister.

Governor Vajubhai Vala will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Kumaraswamy on the steps of the Vidhana Soudha at 4.30 p.m. today, in the presence of a galaxy of national leaders who are in the forefront of an effort to form a united non-BJP coalition.

Besides former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Chief Ministers of Kerala, Odisha, Delhi, West Bengal and Puducherry are expected to participate in the swearing-in ceremony.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, 58, who will be sworn in as the Chief Minister for the second time, was the Chief Minister for 20 months in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government during 2006-07. G. Parameshwara, 67, the Dalit face of the Congress, will also be sworn in on Wednesday as Deputy Chief Minister.

K.C. Venugopal, who is Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka, said given that the Congress's number (78) in the Assembly was double than of the JD(S) (36), their party would get the Speaker’s post and the Deputy Speaker slot would go to the JD(S).

Thirty-two Ministers and portfolio allocation will be decided after the floor test of the coalition government that is likely to be held on Thursday or Friday.

There are 221 elected members in the Assembly and the coalition partners have 117 members, including one from the BSP and two independents.

The Ministry expansion and allocation of portfolios will be delayed as both parties have decided to take into account factors such as caste, region, experience, service to the party and age, for giving ministerial berths.

The Congress-JD(S) have also reached an understanding on the formation of a coordination committee comprising members of both parties to evolve a common minimum programme. “Within one or two days, the committee too will be announced,” Mr. Venugopal said.