The Hindu : Karnataka News : JD(S) calls meet today on Ministry expansion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 06, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

JD(S) calls meet today on Ministry expansion

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE, DEC. 5. The proposed expansion of the Dharam Singh-led coalition Ministry in the State has caused anxiety and ripples not merely in the Congress camp but also in its coalition partner, the Janata Dal (Secular), with legislators of the two parties exerting pressure on the senior leadership for accommodating them in the Ministry.

A meeting of the Janata Dal Legislature Party has been called on Monday where the matter would be discussed threadbare.

Sources in the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress told The Hindu today that the two parties were yet to decide on whether the Ministry should be expanded by 22 members, with 11 drawn from each side, or restrict the expansion to 18 members for the present.

Ministry size

The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, and also the Congress High Command were keen on expanding the Cabinet by 18 members for the present. In case, there was an open dissent of sorts from the legislators who do not find a berth in the Ministry, they could always be told that they would be accommodated in the next round of expansion.

It was said that this argument put forth by the Congress had not gone down well with the Janata Dal (Secular), which was keen on a full-fledged expansion.

Earlier the Janata Dal (Secular) had agreed for a partial expansion with eight members drawn from each side.

But owing to the inordinate delay in the Ministry expansion, the party leadership was also under pressure from the legislators that the coalition Ministry should be expanded to the optimum size.

Yet to meet Deve Gowda

Interestingly, the Chief Minister, who returned to Bangalore two days ago after consultations with the party high command on the Ministry expansion, is yet to meet the former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) President, H.D. Deve Gowda, and convey to him the details of the discussions.

There has been no word from the Congress on sharing of the chairmanship for the boards and corporations and this has also upset its coalition partner.

Congress sources said that the Chief Minister was keen on pulling out a surprise by announcing the date and time for the expansion at the last minute. It was also mentioned that he was in touch with Mr. Gowda over telephone and that there was no confusion over the expansion. Even the legislators to be accommodated in the ministry had been discussed, it was said.

Expansion

The Ministry expansion is expected to take place either on Wednesday or Thursday. Interestingly, while the Chief Minister arrived here late on Thursday night, Mr. Gowda left for Delhi around the same time and is believed to have held discussions with some key Congress leaders on Friday before returning to Bangalore.

The Janata Dal (Secular) legislature party meeting has been summoned by the Deputy Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) Legislature Party leader, Siddaramaiah.

All the party legislators were called up over phone tonight and informed of the meeting. Mr. Gowda, who would preside over the meeting, would convey to the legislators the details of the discussions that he had with the Congress leaders so far and elicit their views.

The top leaders of the party, including Mr. Siddaramaiah, the Industries Minister, P.G.R. Sindhia, the Revenue Minister, M.P. Prakash, the State President of the Janata Dal (S), N. Thippanna, and the Working President, H.D. Kumaraswamy, would thereafter meet under the leadership of Mr. Gowda and finalise the list of ministers and the chairmen for the boards and corporations.

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