Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday convened a meeting of JD(S) legislature party on Sunday even as he attempted to stem a likely exodus of Congress legislators by offering a cabinet berth to rebels like former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi.  Kumaraswamy, who held a closed-door meeting with the rebel leader late on Thursday evening, is understood to have promised him to make a Cabinet minister if he joins the JD(S), which is Congress’ coalition partner. Ramesh, however, has not assured anything to the chief minister in this regard.

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According to the sources, the meeting would discuss the political situation and the fact that the threat to longevity of his government could be real as his beta noire and state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa warned of imminent collapse of the coalition government soon after announcement of results of general elections on May 23.

The Chief Minister, who cut short his naturopathy treatment and rushed to the city to pay homage to JD (S) workers who died in bomb blasts in Sri Lanka, lost no time in reaching out to Mr Ramesh Jarkiholi a day after his statement to the media that he would soon take a call about quitting the Congress. He had earlier attended meetings of BJP leaders and skipped the budget session of legislature along with three other MLAs for some time, provoking CLP leader Siddaramaiah to write to Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, seeking their disqualification.  

Much to the surprise of his party colleagues, Mr Kumaraswamy offered to induct Mr Ramesh Jarkiholi into his ministry as his party has not met its quota of berths in the ministry. Sources pointed out that his meeting with Mr Ramesh Jarkioli was preceded with a closed door meeting with deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara and water resources minister D K Shivakumar on steps to handle the looming crisis for the coalition partners. 

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