Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 1: The Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) as part of their alliance in the state will also fight the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together, announced Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge K C Venugopal.
Speaking to the media regarding the portfolio allocation and expansion plans for their coalition government in Karnataka on Friday, Venugopal confirmed that Kumaraswamy will be the chief minister for the full term.
"We (Congress-JDS) have come to a conclusion regarding cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation. Everything is settled," Venugopal said.
The crucial finance portfolio will be handled by the JD(S) while Congress is in-charge of the home ministry. Congress will also handle irrigation, rural and urban development portfolio.
To ensure the smooth functioning of the coalition government, JD(S) and Congress has formed coalition coordination and monitoring committee that will meet at least once every month, Venugopal said. The committee will clear every appointment to statutory boards and organisations. Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has been appointed as the chairman of the coordination committee and JD(S) leader Danish Ali has been appointed as its convenor.
The alliance will bring out a common agenda for governance, which will include key promises made by both the coalition partners.
It is said that there was a great tug-of-war between two parties for the finance portfolio but Congress gave the ministry to JD(S) after the intervention of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who wanted the coalition to not fall apart.
Congress-JDS alliance has mutually agreed to share ministerial portfolios in the following manner:
