With his government facing birth pangs of coalition politics, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today stepped in to check the disquiet among newly elected Congress lawmakers who were left out during the Cabinet expansion, but they remained defiant.
After being sworn in as chief minister on May 23 and proving his majority in the Assembly on May 25, Kumaraswamy, who was not been able to distribute portfolios to ministers two days after the cabinet expansion largely due to the tumult among Congress MLAs, tonight allotted portfolios to them.
Kumaraswamy retained the key Finance department, as also Energy with him while giving Home to his deputy G Parameshwara of the Congress.
Some of the disgruntled Cong MLAs were ministers in the previous government.
As the dissidents continued their activities, the chief minister and several state Congress leaders met the disgruntled lawmakers, who appeared in no mood to relent, at least not for now, after which Kumaraswamy asked the Congress high-command to act immediately and resolve the situation.
With the ruling coalition in ferment, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar called the JD(S)- Congress government "directionless and temporary."
Asked whether he was leading the group of sulking lawmakers, Patil said, "We are a team. I'm no senior or no junior. We 15-20 people are all equals. Whatever decision happens, it will be of the team."
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