The shadow boxing within the collation partners, the JD(S) and Congress is an early indication of the instability of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy led JD(S)-Congress Government in Karnataka. Many Congress Ministers and legislators are also openly pitching for former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister again to lead the party and the Government.
Many observe in the political circles that the mandate in the Hassan, Mandya and Tumakuru (it’s now popularly called HMT) where JDS is contesting with the help of Congress might hold the key to the survival of collation Government led by HD Kumaraswamy of the JDS.
In Hassan Prajwal Revanna grandson of HD Deve Gowda and son of HD Revanna a PWD Minister, in Mandya constituency Nikhil Kumaraswamy son of HD Kumaraswamy and another grandson of Deve Gowda and at Tumakuru HD Deve Gowda are contesting. The well-known rivalry between Siddaramaiah and Deve Gowda has trickled down to the grass roots and party workers in both the Congress and the JDS are worked against each other in these constituencies.
The results in the these constituencies are expected to provide some hints about how powerful dominant Vokkaliga (Gowdas) and Kuruba (shepherd) communities have voted.
Deve Gowda, the JD(S) supremo leads a family party JDS and has the support of vokkaligas one of the dominant communities and Siddaramaiah who belongs to Kuruba community made them a dominant community and made them politically strong.
In another significant development Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil on Tuesday made a pitch for Siddaramaiah “as Chief Minister again,” but clarified the present coalition Government under HD Kumaraswamy would complete its full term.
“What’s wrong in that? Siddaramaiah is our leader in the Congress. People want to see him as Chief Minister again.
“Even we too want to see him as Chief Minister again. He gave good governance for five years. He should have come back again,” Patil told reporters in Bengaluru.
He was responding to a query on “growing demand” among the Congress MLAs to see Siddaramaiah occupy the top post again. His statement resonates with Chikkaballapura Congress MLA K Sudhakar’s remarks on Monday that it would be good if Siddaramaiah becomes CM again.
“Siddaramaiah had done a lot of good work. He deserves one more term... But we have to accept people’s mandate... When we come to power on our own... but presently that question does not arise.. This government has to complete five years,” he said.
“Siddaramaiah has got the eligibility (for the second term as Chief Minister),” Patil added.
After the Congress and JDS formed the coalition Government following the May 2018 Assembly elections, Kumaraswamy took over as the CM of the State. The coalition partners also fought the Lok Sabha elections together though there have been strains between the two ever since.
Many Congress MLAs were not content with the present arrangement and had stated that Siddaramaiah was their leader and they would like to see him as the chief minister again, an issue that has irked JDS leadership.
Meanwhile, BJP strongman Yeddyurappa predicts ‘political ups and downs’ after May 23. He strongly ruled out any truck with JDS to form the government in case the present coalition Government falls with the disgruntled Congress legislators. He said in Kalaburagi that BJP was not in a hurry to form the Government.
“I want to say one thing clearly: Kumaraswamy had betrayed me after deciding to share power 20 months each (in 2006). There is no question of coming to an understanding with JDS. There is no question of coalition Government (with that party),” Yeddyurappa said.
“It’s too early to say anything... I have never said the Government will collapse and I shouldn’t say it also. What I’m saying is there will be political ups and downs after May 23 results, anything may happen. I’m not saying we will form the government or we will come to power,” he added.
In 2006, the BJP and a section of JDS MLAs forged an alliance to form a Government on the basis of a power-sharing deal, according to which Kumaraswamy and Yeddyurappa will be the CM for 20 months each.
As JDS refused to transfer power to Yeddyurappa after 20 months, the BJP in October 2007 decided to withdraw support to the Kumaraswamy Government, ending an uneasy and often bitter relationship, accusing the regional party of “betrayal.”
Pointing out that there is a “lot of confusion” in the state politics, Yeddyurappa said it is certain that Narendra Modi will become the PM of the country once again, and the results of Lok Sabha polls will have an implication on the politics here.
“I’m not day dreaming to say that their (Congress and JDS) Government should collapse. Let them concentrate on them being together. Am I responsible for Congress and JDS fighting each other; am I responsible for differences between them?” he questioned.
Predicting the defeat of former Union Ministers Veerappa Moily in Chikkaballapur and KH Muniyappa in Kolar, Yeddyurappa said, in Tumkur the chances of our candidate winning is more against former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, in Mandya independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh supported by the party will win “100 per cent” against Kumaraswamy’s son Nikil, while there is a fight in Hassan, where Gowda’s other grandson Prajwal Revanna is the JDS nominee.
Yeddyurappa also said the party high-command will decide on the next state unit president, and he would continue as the Leader of the Opposition.