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Wednesday, Aug 22, 2007
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‘Foes’ get cosy at Raj Bhavan

K.N. Venkatasubba Rao and S. Rajendran

Bonhomie between Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress leaders was on full display

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

CHANGING EQUATIONS: Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa (left) , Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Assembly Speaker Krishna, Legislative Council Chairman B.K. Chandrashekar and Congress leader N. Dharam Singh at the swearing-in ceremony of the Governor in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: Although the swearing in of the new Governor was a simple and brief ceremony held in a serene ambience on Tuesday, it was not devoid of political significance because of the critical juncture at which he is assuming office.

Present on the occasion were the former Prime Minister and president of the Janata Dal (Secular) H.D. Deve Gowda, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president M. Mallikarjun Kharge and the former Union Minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief. They had come together at a public function for the first time after the fall of the Dharam Singh Government in February 2006.

Equally significant was the absence of a majority of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ministers, MLAs and MLCs. The bonhomie between some of the Janata Dal (Secular) Ministers, particularly H.D. Revanna, and the frontline Congress leaders in the State was on full display.

Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Mr. Deve Gowda took everyone by surprise by hugging Mr. Sharief and then shaking hands with Mr. Kharge and Mr. Singh with a broad grin, candidly driving home the point that politics has no permanent friends or foes.

Asked about how he viewed the change in the State gubernatorial office, Mr. Deve Gowda told presspersons that it had been the tradition of the State to welcome the new appointee and bid farewell to the outgoing Governor.

Replying to the question whether Prof. Thakur, who has his roots in the Congress and is known for his ability to handle sensitive political situations, had arrived here to shoulder any additional responsibility at this juncture, Mr. Deve Gowda said this was not the time to talk of such things.

In contrast to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who was in a jovial mood, interacting with the Congress leaders, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was grim and taciturn.

Mr. Yediyurappa avoided the media and along with another Minister, left the Raj Bhavan premises even as Prof. Thakur was exchanging pleasantries with the dignitaries at the high tea hosted soon after the conclusion of the oath-taking ceremony.

However, according to official sources, Mr. Yediyurappa left for Belgaum on an official visit.

Mr. Kumaraswamy emphasised that there was no question of the State facing mid-term elections. “The future days are brighter,” he said.

The friendly banter between the JD(S) and Congress leaders continued even at the “welcome and farewell lunch” hosted by Mr. Kumaraswamy in honour of Prof. Thakur and the outgoing Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, at the Banquet Hall of the Vidhana Soudha.

Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Singh and Mr. Kharge were seen chatting in a corner of the hall.

Later, a special table was laid to accommodate Prof. Thakur, his wife Narmada Thakur, Mr. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Deve Gowda, Mr. Singh, Mr. Kharge, H.K. Patil, Mr. Revanna and Assembly Speaker Krishna and Council Chairman B.K. Chandrashekar.

Perhaps another pointer to the hotting up of the political situation, Mr. Deve Gowda left for New Delhi by an evening flight although it was not scheduled earlier.

Sources in the JD (S) told The Hindu that political changes in the State were dependant on a host of factors and it would all be only after the “dust in New Delhi over the nuclear understanding settled down”.

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