Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, May 20: JD(S) leader B M Farooq on Sunday May 20 denied allegations reported in a section of the media that he and MLC Ivan D'Souza were interfering with MLA U T Khader's chances of getting a ministerial berth in the yet-to-be-formed Congress-JD(S) government.
Speaking to daijiworld, Farooq, who is the state general secretary of JD(S), said, "U T Khader and I share a good bond and there is absolutely no problem between us. I will be very happy if Khader is made a minister. Getting a ministerial berth is the party's decision and I have nothing to do with it. There can be no interference at all. If the high command insists on giving me a portfolio, I will welcome it. But I am not lobbying for any ministerial post.
"U T Khader is the lone Congress MLA in the Dakshina Kannada district and he will naturally be the first choice to become a party of the new cabinet. I am a businessman and it is not right on my part to interefer in the party's decision. It is left to the party as to who should be part of the cabinet," he said.
On allegedly pitting K Ashraf as the JD(S) candidate against Khader in Ullal, Farooq said, "It was a pre-election subject. As per the party's decision, the JD(S) district committee came up with the candidature in Mangaluru (Ullal) constituency, and I never interfered in such things as ticket distribution and recommending candidates. It is not my business.
"Being a state general secretary I have the responsibility to strengthen the party at the state level. In many constituencies our candidates fought the election against the Congress. The same happened in Mangaluru also. But now the entire scenario has changed. In some constituencies people elected our candidates and in some Congress candidates. It means they defeated BJP candidates. People do not want see Yeddyurappa as their CM. So we followed the people's wish and it helped us come together. Now we are looking forward to giving a good administration in the state.
"The allegations reported in a section of media are not true. Both JD(S) and Congress leadership will take appropriate decisions about various ministries and departments," Farooq asserted.