Did JD-S soft pedal help Congress step up pressure?

Bengaluru: Out of power for more than a decade and seeing a steady depletion of hisranks and the exit of several senior leaders, it was but natural for chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to be more than accommodative on the Congress demands for ministerial berths and plum portfolios. But the big question is whether in bending over backwards, he encouraged Congressmen to make unreasonable demands inviting trouble for himself and the JD(S) in the process?

There are many in the JD(S) and even in the Congress who feel so. What made his coalition partner, particularly home grown Congressmen more assertive was the painful fact that though the party was in power from 2013-18, it was the recent entrants including former CM Mr Siddaramaiah and his loyalists who called the shots.

Only a few original Congressmen could get properpositions with even leaders like Dr G Parameshwar, Mr D.K. Shivakumar and Mr M Krishnappa forced to lobby hard with the high command to get inducted into the cabinet.

Mr Siddaramaiah chose to rule with a close coterie, which widened the gap between the original and migrant Congressmen.

With the former CM now relegated to the sidelines,  senior Congressmen started bargaining with the high command for lucrative portfolios.