HD Kumaraswamy had met Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in Delhi before his oath ceremony.
Highlights
- Rahul Gandhi met senior Congress leaders from Karnataka
- For now, Congress has to pick 15 cabinet ministers
- Eventually, it will have 22 ministers in the 33-member cabinet
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi met senior party leaders from Karnataka today to draw up a list of ministers for the government led by HD Kumaraswamy - a crucial task in view of next year's general elections, which the two allies intend to contest together. Mr Gandhi, who had left the decision to the state party unit, is expected to take a final call on the issue, which has been pending due to his trip abroad for his mother Sonia Gandhi's health check-up.
The performance of the government is seen as a crucial factor in the performance of the Congress-Janata Dal Secular alliance at the hustings. It also has broader implications for the rest of the country in view of the opposition show of strength at Mr Kumaraswamy's oath ceremony. As a first step, the party is looking at providing a stable government, with focus on 2019.
For now, the Congress has to pick 15 cabinet ministers. Eventually, it will have 22 ministers in the 33-member cabinet. The final call will be taken by Mr Gandhi and K Venugopal, the in-charge of the party's state unit.
Sources said Mr Gandhi is also taking the opportunity to review last month's assembly election, in which Congress' Siddaramaiah-led government was voted out. Though a delegation has come to Delhi from Karnataka, which includes the party's senior leaders, Mr Gandhi is having one-on-one interaction with many of them, sources said.
One of these was DK Shivakumar, the senior party leader who was seen as angling for the post of the deputy chief minister - an idea that leaders of Mr Kumaraswamy's JD(S) was opposed to.
Though only state Congress chief G Parameshwara took oath along with Mr Kumaraswamy as his deputy and only one deputy post has been allowed to the Congress, speculation is that Mr Shivakumar hasn't given up hopes of making a second. There is also speculation that he might be shifted to the slot of the state Congress chief.
The plum portfolios of finance, excise and transport will go to the JD(S). The Congress gets to retain home, industries and revenue among other portfolios.