Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, May 21: The million dollar question haunting former chief minister and MP-elect Kumaraswami is whether to keep the Lok Sabha seat he has just won, or retain the assembly seat. The question has become very relevant after the Congress Party reportedly conveyed to him indirectly that it would not be possible to accommodate him in the union cabinet, as his party, JD (S), has only three members of parliament.

Reportedly, Kumaraswami had confided with his friends in the party before starting his parleys, that he would forgo the Lok Sabha seat if he fails to get ministership at the centre. Kumaraswami, who has camped at New Delhi since the last four days to bargain for a post in the union cabinet for his party, has failed to get any concrete assurances, sources divulged. The Congress Party, buoyed by the strong support of the electorate this time, has decided to accommodate only those alliance partners who stood by it during the trying times.

It is said, the Congress leaders whom Kumaraswami met, reiterated the above stand of the party. It is learnt, the Congress high command has decided to allot ministerial berths at the rate of one seat for every six Lok Sabha seats its alliance partners hold. As such, the JD (S) with its mere three seats fails to pass this litmus test. Kumaraswami had hoped to strengthen the party in the state, once he succeeds in bagging ministerial berth.

The Congress leaders from the state have also put forth the argument that the JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda had not responded to its request to support it during its lean patch. In the election, he had formed the Third Front with the communist parties, thinking that it was in his interest.

The efforts being made by both Deve Gowda and Kumaraswami to convince the Congress party leaders that in politics, no one is untouchable permanently, has not gone down well with them. Frustrated Kumaraswami is said to be positively considering the option of resigning his Lok Sabha membership and is discussing the desirability of doing so with other leaders of the party.