Unfazed by the decision of the Janata Dal-Secular's national executive to suspend him and 39 legislators supporting him, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said he continued to be the leader of the JD-S Legislature Party.
"The speaker has already recognised me as the leader of the legislature party," Kumaraswamy, who formed the government with the Bharatiya Janata Party's support, said.
Refusing to be drawn into a discussion over party affairs, he said all issues will be sorted out in the party forum.
The chief minister said he will soon undertake the second expansion of his ministry to end discontent brewing in the JD-S and BJP camps after the February 17 ministry expansion that saw the induction of 20 ministers.
"Discontent is a common feature in any political party on such matters," Kumaraswamy said.
Kumaraswamy said he will leave for New Delhi on Tuesday to meet several Union ministers, including Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, on Wednesday to press for clearance of pending projects.
On February 23, he will meet MPs from Karnataka and seek their support for the state's pending projects, he said.
The new government will present its budget during the second and third week of March.