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Saturday, Aug 18, 2007
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Political uncertainty looms over State

Karnataka Bureau

Kumaraswamy to spell out stand on early exit soon

H.D. Kumaraswamy

BANGALORE: As the October 3 deadline nears for the coalition partners in the Government to switch Chief Ministers, there is uncertainty and disquiet among the major parties and contenders for power in the State.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been besieged by a “will-it won’t-it” anxiety, reflected in the regular public claims to office by its leaders, notably its Chief Minister-designate B.S. Yediyurappa. This has apparently upset Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy who, piqued by his successor’s unseemly haste to take over the reins from him, announced that he would quit much before the scheduled date for transfer of power. Despite the damage-control exercise by the BJP leadership to mollify him, Mr. Kumaraswamy says he is not yet ready to withdraw his threat.

“I will spell out my stand at the Janata Dal(S)-BJP joint legislature party meeting to be held soon,” Mr. Kumaraswamy told presspersons after an all-party meeting called here on Friday to discuss the flood and rain havoc in the State that was attended by Mr. Yediyurappa, Ministers belonging to the ruling parties and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly N. Dharam Singh.

The relationship between the coalition partners has been strained for some months. The understanding when Mr. Kumaraswamy came to power on February 3, 2006 with support from the 79-member BJP was that the top post would be handed over to the BJP 20 months later. This promise seems to be fading as the deadline for transfer nears. Not long ago, a Janata Dal(S) Minister and confidante of the Chief Minister made a public demand that power should not be handed over to the BJP.

Several others in the party took up the refrain that culminated in D.T. Jayakumar (Minister for Housing) making a case on the floor of the Assembly for Mr. Kumaraswamy’s continuation.

The BJP has decided to hold talks with the Chief Minister to sort out the issue while also requesting that a meeting of the coalition’s coordination committee be held. While it will not spoil its chances to come to power for the first time in the South, it is also preparing for the worst. As part of this strategy it has been focussing on strengthening the party organisation.

The party is also hoping to cash in politically on the public sympathy that could well come its way if the Janata Dal (S) refuses to yield the Chief Minister’s post.

“Anything can happen on October 3. I am not sure whether the transfer of power will take place.” This statement by Mr. Dharam Singh has fuelled political uncertainty. He sought to spike speculation in political circles and within his party that he had met the Janata Dal (S) national president H.D. Deve Gowda while on pilgrimage to Tiruchirapalli on Thursday. Mr. Dharam Singh called the political situation in the State “highly fluid”.

Even if Mr. Kumaraswamy relinquishes the Chief Ministership on October 3 or even before, Mr. Dharam Singh said, the State was heading for political instability which may lead to any of the several eventualities, including a section of the Janata Dal (S) and BJP legislators extending support to a Congress government or even a spell of President’s rule.

Delegation

A 25-member Congress delegation, led by former Minister D.K. Shivakumar, called on party president Sonia Gandhi and emphasised that the party should not forge any alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) again.

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