Consensus on portfolios, JD-S to get finance

Bengaluru: The much awaited portfolio sharing between alliance partners in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government may finally be announced on Friday with senior leaders of both parties holding  two rounds of talks in the city on Thursday and overnight Wednesday, to pave the way for a smooth Cabinet expansion, possibly this weekend. The all important finance portfolio as well as power and PWD, insiders said will go to the JD(S) as per the consensus arrived at during the talks.

After Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy took over as CM on May 23 along with his deputy, Dr G. Parameshwar of the Congress, the two partners have been wrangling over portfolio sharing with the prized finance portfolio proving to be the major bone of contention. Reason: Any party which gets finance, controls fund allocation for various ministries and will oversee populist programmes that better its poll prospects in the 2019 parliament polls that are just 11 months away. Sources in the Congress confided that problems in portfolio allocation were sorted out during talks which took place at Kumara Krupa  guest house and later at Taj West End. Janata Dal(S) patriarch and former PM Mr H.D. Deve Gowda will go over the final decision on the portfolios Friday morning. Besides finance, the Congress has agreed to give away Energy, PWD, Excise, Information, Tourism and Cooperation to the JD(S) and other less important portfolios. The Congress will get the powerful home ministry besides excise, Bengaluru development, revenue  and irrigation.

Meanwhile, Mr Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bengaluru that the decision has been arrived at after several rounds of deliberations.