Bengaluru: Notwithstanding the JD(S) and Congress party leaders' claim that they would discuss the contentious issue of portfolio allocation only after the key floor test on Friday, the scramble for cabinet berths and major portfolios has begun in earnest, with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and his deputy and KPCC president, Dr G. Parameshwar, and senior Congress leader, M. Mallikarjun Kharge as well as AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal and JD(S) secretary general Danish Ali holding a closed door meeting on Thursday evening to arrive at a consensus before the floor test on Friday.
Sources close to the developments said that CM Kumaraswamy would like to keep the key portfolio of finance while his deputy, Dr Parameshwar may get home.
"The JD(S) may not face the problem of allocating portfolios as a large number of their MLAs are loyal to the family and they do not make noise over allocation of any portfolios," sources said, adding that the CM's brother and former PWD minister, H.D. Revanna has been "asking for two plum portfolios."
Meanwhile, former chief minister Mr Siddaramaiah has been pushing for key portfolios for two key aides, K.J. George and S.R. Patil. He is reportedly not keen on pushing M.B. Patil for any big portfolio unlike his key post of water resources in his government, sources said. Since Lingayats and Muslims too were pushing for their own candidate as Deputy chief minister, it was evident that senior leaders from these communities were also trying to get plum portfolios, sources said.
A day before Congress leaders left for Delhi, the two teams reportedly discussed the portfolios to be shared by the two parties ahead of briefing AICC president, Rahul Gandhi on the possible portfolios that will be allocated under the coalition set up, sources said.
