No differences between Congress, JD(S), clarifies Kumaraswamy

Karnataka Chief Minister designate HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday clarified that there were no differences between the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular).

Speaking to ANI, Kumaraswamy, who will be sworn in as Karnataka's chief minister tomorrow, said the portfolios under him would be decided on Thursday.

"Today, we took a decision regarding the expansion (of the cabinet). Speaker and deputy speaker would be elected on May 25. Portfolios would be decided day after tomorrow. Everything is alright (between JDS and Congress); there are no differences," he said.

Earlier in the day, top leaders from the two parties, including former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, Congress General Secretary and Karnataka In-charge K.C. Venugopal, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, the elder son of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, son HD Revanna, and senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar chaired a meeting to discuss the portfolio sharing, but later decided to talk about it a day after Kumaraswamy's oath-taking ceremony.

On a related note, the swearing-in ceremony of Kumaraswamy will be held on Wednesday in the presence of a multitude of eminent politicians.

Among the confirmed attendees are United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijay, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and son of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejaswi Yadav, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, along with son K. Taraka Rama Rao will also be present to witness Kumaraswamy's swearing-in.

Other notable guests include the founder of Rashtriya Lok Dal, Ajit Singh (also an ex-Union Minister), actor-turned-politician and founder of Makkal Needhi Mayyam, Kamal Haasan and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M.K. Stalin.