Congress-JD(S) yet to iron out differences on portfolios in Karnataka government

H D Kumaraswamy is likely to take oath as Karnataka Chief Minister alone on Wednesday while the Congress leaders will join in later. Kumaraswamy will be meeting with the Congress top brass today where he would finalise the Cabinet.

A key decision on the post of deputy chief minister too would be taken at the meeting which would involve both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

"I will decide who else will take the oath with me based on the outcome of the discussion with the Congress leaders," Kumaraswamy said after meeting party legislators in Bengaluru.

"Only Kumaraswamy will take oath on Wednesday. The coalition will prove its majority the next day. On Friday, ministers will take the oath (after proving majority)," AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal said.

Sources say that the Congress is likely to get the bigger share in the ministry. The party would get 20 berths while the JD(S), 14. The Council of Ministers will have 34 members, including the chief minister.

The Congress feels that it should get the lion's share in the ministry as it has 78 MLAs in compared to the 38 held by the JD(S). The two parties are also yet to decide on what role the two independent MLAs should play in the government. The Congress feels that the two independents must be accommodated in the 14 allocated to the JD(S). The Congress is also pitching for a term sharing arrangement so that it gets an equal opportunity to run the government.

While the Congress wants key portfolios, the JD(S) has been demanding for the post of Speaker.