Five-year term for HDK not decided: Dr G Parameshwar

Bengaluru: On the eve of the trust vote, deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar said the Congress-JD(S) coalition was yet to discuss modalities about Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy continuing in the post for a full five-year term.

“We have not yet discussed those modalities,” he said in response to a question whether Mr Kumaraswamy will be the Chief Minister for the full five-year term. 
He told the media here on Thursday, “We are also yet to decide on what portfolios have to go to them and what should be with us, then five years term- whether they should be or we should also...all those modalities we have still not discussed.”

When asked again whether Congress was okay with giving the Chief Minister's post to JD(S) for a full five year term, Dr Parameshwar, also KPCC chief, said”....after discussing.. looking at the pros and cons (we will decide), our main intention is to give good administration.”  Ahead of his swearing-in, Mr Kumaraswamy had dismissed reports about his party working out a power-sharing formula of heading the government for 30 months each, with its coalition partner the Congress, saying "No such talks have taken place."

Responding to a question about several leaders being unhappy over party's choice for the Deputy Chief Minister post and on issues relating to portfolios, Dr Parameshwar said, no one has sought any position from him or Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

“I have seen reports about (this) only in the media,” he said. Ruling out any differences between the leaders, he said there was nothing wrong in asking for the position. “In Congress, there are several leaders who are capable of becoming Deputy Chief Minister or Chief Minister....that's the asset of the Congress party." "It is left to the party high-command to decide on who has to be given what position in this situation when we are in a coalition government,” he said.