Congress, JD(S) leaders meet to work out power-sharing arrangement in Karnataka

NEW DELHI: The Congress and the JD(S) are likely to seal the deal over portfolio allocation in Karnataka within a day or two, a senior Congress leader said today after the two coalition partners held deliberations over the issue.

Top leaders of the two parties including Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and deputy chief minister G Parameshwara met here at the residence of Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel and AICC incharge of party affairs in Karnataka K C Venugopal were also present during the meeting.

"We held discussions with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and other leaders of our ally in Karnataka. We are likely to finalise the portfolio-sharing issue within a day or two. We will be meeting again this evening and hold further discussions," senior party leader Venugopal told PTI.

After the meeting, Kumaraswamy exuded confidence that an amicable power sharing arrangement will be worked out.

JD-S leader Danish Ali, who was also part of the discussions, said that the talks were "constructive" and would yield a positive outcome.
The two partners in Karnataka are involved in hectic bargaining over portfolio sharing ever since they got together to form a government in the southern state.

Kumaraswamy has admitted earlier to having "some issues" with the Congress over allocation of portfolios in the new government.

Sources said the two partners want key portfolios of Finance and Home, besides other departments like Public Works Department (PWD), Power, Mining, Water Resources, Irrigation and Urban Development.