Cong-JDS coordination committee forms panel to prepare CMP

The first meeting of the coordination committee of the ruling JDS-Congress coalition in Karnataka today decided to appoint a drafting committee to prepare a Common Minimum Programme for governance that will have salient features of their election manifestos.

Along with a decision to make appointments to boardsand corporations at the earliest, the committeealso resolved to continue all major popular programmesinitiated by the previous Congress government, headed by Siddaramaiah.

"Congress party during the election announced a manifesto for five years. Similary JD(S) had alsoplaced its manifesto before the people. As this is a coalition government, it is practically difficult to implement both. So we decided to constitute a committee,"former Chief Minister and CLP leader Siddaramaiah said.

Briefing the media after the meeting here, Siddaramaiah, also chairman of the coordination committee, said the drafting committee would have three members from the Congress and two from JD(S).

Keeping both manifestos, it would draft a CMP, he said, adding that it would submit its draft report to the coordination committee within 10 days.

Announcing the power sharing arrangement between Congress and JD(S), both parties had on June 1 said a common agenda for governance based on the manifestos of both parties would be prepared and presented to the people.

They had also announced a coalition Coordination and Monitoring Committee, which would meet at least once a month.

The coordination committee comprises Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC chief G Parameshwara, Siddaramaiah, Congress General Secretary Venugopal and JD(S) Secretary General Danish Ali.

While Siddaramaiah is the chairman, Ali is the convener of the coalition coordination and monitoring committee.

Stating that all five members of the coordination committee attended today's meeting, Ali said the names of the drafting committee members would be notified tomorrow.

"Once the drafting committee submits its report, the coordination committee will meet once again take a call on it and finally approve the common minimum programme," he said.

The committee, at today's meeting, also resolved to continue all major popular programmes initiated by the previous Congress government.

"The popular and flagship programmes we had launched and announced in the budget...all those will continue and once the common minimum programme is ready, the government will think of introducing new programmes," Siddaramaiah said.

The committee also decided to make appointments to boards and corporations at the earliest, as per the agreement arrived at earlier between both parties.

Noting that theChief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister would discuss regarding this in a week's time, Siddaramaiah said MLAs would first be appointed to 30 board and corporation posts and later the rest would also be appointed.

Asked whether there was anydiscussion on cabinet expansion, he said it would be done oncethe heads of boards and corporations are appointed.

On discussions regarding disgruntled MLAs, miffed over not getting ministerial berths, Siddaramaiah said "we have discussed... but they cannot be disclosed here."