Ministry expansion likely on June 4 or 5: Kumaraswamy

HD Kumaraswamy

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Friday that the expansion of his two-member Congress-JD(S) ministry is likely to take place on June 4 or 5.

Kumaraswamy along with his Deputy and Pradesh Congress Committee chief G Parameshwara met Governor Vajubhai Vala at Raj Bhavan to discuss the dates for the swearing-in of the new ministers.

"...we had thought of expanding the cabinet on Sunday, but as the Governor has a pre-scheduled programme to visit Delhi, we are going to request him (about time)," Kumaraswamy told reporters before meeting Vala.

"We will discuss with him (Governor), 4th or 5th (June) we will have to see because the information is that he will come back on June 5th morning... so to know about his schedule and seek his permission we are going (to meet him)," the CM added.

Both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister are expected to share details about the cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation later in the day, official sources said.

Ahead of visiting Raj Bhavan, Kumaraswamy, Parameshwara and Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal held discussions with former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda at his residence about cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation.

Even 10 days after talking over the administration on May 23, Kumaraswamy is yet to instal a full-fledged team of ministers.

The delay in forming a full ministry is attributed to the hard bargaining between the two parties over portfolio allocation, particularly the plum finance and some other key departments like energy.

Only Parameshwara was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister, along with Kumaraswamy on May 23.

Kumaraswamy had proved majority on the floor of the assembly on May 25.

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