Gowda says he is not opposed to Shivakumar being made minister

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda today dismissed reports that he was opposed to senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar's induction into the JD(S)-Congress coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy that will take oath tomorrow.

Noting that it was for the Congress to decide who from their party should be made deputy chief minister or minister, the former prime minister said he was only interested in the smooth functioning of the government.

"I have heard media reports that I am against D K Shivakumar's induction into the ministry. I want to clarify that who should be made chief minister, deputy chief minister, who should be given what portfolio from the Congress... I will not interfere on this issue," Gowda told reporters here.

"What I want is smooth functioning of this government. Other than that I will not be interfering into any other thing," he said.

The clarification from Gowda came amid reports about his opposition to Shivakumar and Lingayat leader M B Patil's induction in to the ministry.

"I have nothing to do with it, I'm not interested. It is left to them (Congress), why should I interfere," he asked.

Even as it was still not clear about who will be inducted into the ministry tomorrow, hectic parleys are on within the Congress for ministerial berths, especially for the post of deputy chief minister.

Though Congress sources suggest that Parameshwara, as a Dalit leader, is front runner for the deputy chief minister's post, reports said there is growing demand from party leaders in north Karnataka that the position be given to a Lingayat from the region, as the chief minister post is held by a Vokkaliga from the southern part of the state.

Shivakumar, another strong Vokkaliga leader and considered an arch rival of the Gowda family, is also said to be the contender for the deputy chief minister's post.

He had emerged as a key man in the political drama that preceded formation of the Congress-JDS alliance as he was entrusted with the task of keeping his party flock together from alleged poaching attempts by the BJP before the floor test on May 19.

Meanwhile, Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of Veerashaiva-Lingayat faith, has demanded that Congress high command makes its national president Shamanur Shivashankarappa the deputy chief minister.