Kumaraswamy to meet Rahul, Sonia today to discuss Karnataka govt formation ahead of May 23 swearing-in

Karnataka's Chief Minister-designate HD Kumaraswamy will meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday, two days before his swearing-in ceremony which is being billed as a convergence of anti-BJP forces. 

Kumaraswamy is set to become the Karnataka chief minister for the second time and will head a Congress-JD(S) coalition in the state. 

His swearing-in ceremony, likely to to be a grand event at Kanteerava stadium, will see the presence of opposition leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BSP chief Mayawati, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao and several other regional leaders.

Ahead of the government formation, Kumaraswamy will today meet top Congress leaders in Delhi to discuss the modalities of government formation as well as a larger alliance to take on the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

"I'm visiting New Delhi tomorrow...I will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi and the party's senior leader Sonia Gandhi," he told reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Kumaraswamy said a decision will be taken on the number of Congress and JD(S) ministers after discussion with the Gandhis. He also termed reports on the power-sharing formula of 30 months each between the parties as "bogus".

BJP's BS Yeddyurappa resigned on Saturday after three days as CM without facing a Supreme Court-mandated floor test in the Assembly. The Congress-JD(S) combine with a claimed strength of 117 with the support of others was then invited by Governor Vajubhai Vala to form the government. 

The post-election alliance of JD(S) and Congress staked its claim to form the government. The May 12 Karnataka elections threw up a hung Assembly, with BJP emerging as the single-largest party with 104 seats. The voting took place in 222 of the 224 assembly seats as the polling was deferred in two constituencies. 

State Congress chief G Parameshwara is likely to become the Deputy CM, reports said, adding Karnataka may have two Deputy CMs, but a final call will be taken after Kumaraswamy meets the Gandhis. 

"On Wednesday, there will be the oath-taking ceremony. On Thursday, we will complete the process of the Speaker's election and trust vote," said Kumaraswamy.

Kumaraswamy has a 15-day window to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly. 

The rest of his Cabinet is likely to take oath only after the trust vote, reports said.

Kumaraswamy said a coordination committee would be formed to prepare a common minimum programme to implement the promises made by the two coalition partners. JD(S) leader Kunwar Danish Ali said the alliance will last beyond next year's Lok Sabha elections.

(With PTI inputs)