Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar today claimed Janata Dal-Secular supremo H D Deve Gowda does not have any problem with a Congress MLA becoming deputy chief minister in the coalition government of the two parties.

"I have been given to understand in the media that he (Deve Gowda) has no issues with a Congress MLA becoming the deputy chief minister. He has left the decision to us (Congress) and his son H D Kumaraswamy," Shivakumar told PTI in an interview.

The names of G Parameshwara, Shivakumar and S R Patil are doing the rounds for the deputy chief minister's post.

Shivakumar has emerged as a key man in the political drama that preceded the formation of Congress-JD-S alliance as he was entrusted with the task of keeping his party flock together from 'poaching' attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party before the floor test on May 20.

The MLAs were camped at a resort on Bengaluru city outskirts and shifted to Hyderabad under the supervision of Shivakumar, whose hostility to the Gowda family is well known but has now buried the hatchet.

To a query, Shivakumar said senior party leaders including All India Congress Committee general secretary in Karnataka K C Venugopal will soon sit with chief minister-designate H D Kumaraswamy to finalise issues regarding cabinet formation and contentious deputy chief minister's post.

"Venugopalji has just returned from Delhi. The senior party leaders will soon sit with Kumaraswamy and his leaders to deliberate on cabinet formation and deputy chief minister's post," he said.

Shivakumar said he is unsure of what position he is going to get, whether KPCC president or a minister's post, but would be patient to hear from the high command.

Asked why should the Congress not press for proving majority soon after Kumaraswamy takes oath as chief minister, he said there are no fears of cross-voting.

In fact, party MLAs are keen on participating in the floor test as soon as possible so that they start their work in their constituencies, he said.

On doubts being raised on Congress-JDS coalition completing its five-year term, he said it is going to be tough, but things have to be sorted out in the name of secularism and the nation.   -- PTI