Karnataka: Will upcoming meeting of Congress and JD(S) save ruling govt from falling?

Bengaluru: As rumours are rife that the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) government in Karnataka is going through a rough patch after differences have cropped up between the coalition partners, leaders of both the parties are set to meet on Sunday (July 1) to iron out the wrinkles ahead of the Karnataka legislature session scheduled from July 2.

The leaders of both the Congress and the JD(S) are also likely to discuss the common minimum programme (CMP) of the alliance government and give a final shape to it at the meeting of the coordination committee. The five-member sub-committee, which includes Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and HD Revanna, son of former prime minister and national president of the JD(S), HD Devegowda, will submit its report on the CMP issue, sources said. "The coordination committee will meet in Bengaluru on July 1 to discuss the current political situation and the common minimum programme of the two alliance partners," JD(S) secretary general and convener of the coordination committee Danish Ali told PTI on Wednesday.

He said the sub-committee will also submit its report to the panel meant for coordination between the two parties in Karnataka and the same will be discussed to give final shape to the CMP. Sources said the growing differences between the two parties on budget presentation and the resentment among disgruntled legislators are also likely to be discussed at the meeting. This is the second meeting of the coordination committee set up between the two allies. The first meeting was held on June 14. Besides chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and Danish Ali, former chief minister Siddharamaiah, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and and All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge for Karnataka KC Venugopal are members of the panel. The sub-committee was formed at the time of government formation by the two parties, which entered into a post-poll alliance.

The allies are yet to hold discussion on appointment of new chairmen for boards and corporations in the state and the issue is likely to come up in the meeting. Danish Ali said the leaders of the coalition partners would also hold discussions to chalk out future strategy in the state. In spite of an open war between the partners, in front of the camera, both the Congress and the JD(S) leaders are maintaining that "all is well". It was never a smooth sailing for the Congress-JD(S) alliance government. While during the election campaign they hurled the vilest of allegations against each other, the quick post-poll alliance between the coalition partners to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power brought out in the open the desperation within its own ranks.