Janata Dal-Secular likely to get Finance, Congress Home in Karnataka

Congress party is expected to get Home Department while Janata Dal-Secular is most likely to control the Finance portfolio in Karnataka.

BENGALURU: The issue of portfolio allocation appears to have been sorted out between the two main partners of the coalition government in Karnataka with the sources saying that Congress is most likely to get the Home portfolio while Finance going to the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS).

"The issue of portfolio distribution has almost been resolved. JDS will get Finance, Congress will get Home," a senior JDS leader was quoted as saying by IANS.

According to him, the announcement of portfolios will be made on Friday. 

The leader said that the two parties also discussed the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and forming a coordination committee for the smooth functioning of the government in Karnataka. 

The CMP will be based on the manifestos of the two parties and the main basis of the governance here. 

According to sources, the two parties held close to five rounds of discussions over portfolio allocation.

Besides Home portfolio, the Congress is also expected to get Higher Education, Health, Housing and Bengaluru Development, while the JDS would get Medical Education, Agriculture and Revenue portfolios.

Congress leaders involved in the discussions included Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ashok Gehlot and KC Venugopal. 

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is abroad in connection with the medical check-up of his mother Sonia Gandhi, had been duly informed of the discussions, said the sources.

JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy was sworn in as Karnataka Chief Minister on May 23 following a split verdict in the state. The Congress and the JDS had been holding discussions on government formation ever since they won the trust vote on May 25.