Cong, JD(S) wrangle over CM post

As the Congress and former prime minister H.D.Deve Gowda search for a power-sharing arrangement, the fate of Karnataka hangs between two for...

As the Congress and former prime minister H.D.Deve Gowda search for a power-sharing arrangement, the fate of Karnataka hangs between two formulae: The Congress wants Gowda to accept a Maharashtra-type arrangement while the latter insists upon a deal like in Jammu and Kashmir.

Deve Gowda, who met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi this evening, reportedly sought the chief ministership for his party arguing that the verdict is against the Congress. He asked for an arrangement like the one in Jammu and Kashmir, where Congress, even with more MLAs, has given the chief ministership to PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The Congress has to be content with the consolation prize of deputy chief ministership.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and Karnataka in-charge Vilasrao Deshmukh who set the stage for a meeting between Sonia and Gowda, told The Indian Express that he had suggested a Maharashtra-type arrangement between the two parties. ‘‘It is for him to decide,’’ he said. The Maharashtra-type arrangement implies that the Congress with a legislature group gets the chief ministership, while JD(S) gets the deputy chief ministership.

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Deshmukh said: ‘‘I am fully optimistic about the formation of a (coalition) government.’’ Sources maintained that in any case the Congress is unlikely to retain S.M. Krishna as the CM.

Deve Gowda met caretaker PM A.B. Vajpayee and his deputy L.K.Advani earlier during the day amid speculation that he may arrive at some power-sharing agreement with BJP or manage to push the Congress to accept his terms for a coalition. While the BJP declined comment on the meeting, Gowda described it as a ‘‘courtesy call’’. When asked if a BJP-JD(S) coalition was on the cards, the former prime minister said: ‘‘We have always fought communal forces.’’

The JD(S) is projecting state president Siddaramaiah as its chief ministerial candidate. Its final choice would be known tomorrow when its legislature party meets in Bangalore to elect its leader. The BJP has 79 seats in the 224-member Assembly and ally JD(U) has five. The Congress has 65 seats, followed by JD(S) with 58.