The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Will it be another term of coalition politics?

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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Will it be another term of coalition politics?

Karnataka Bureau

Results from Shikaripur, Ramanagara and Chitapur to be closely watched

The real fight is between Congress and the BJP
Janata Dal (Secular) may yet again be the kingmaker

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS: Bangalore Urban District Deputy Commissioner M.A. Sadiq inspecting a counting station on the eve of Legislative Assembly election results, in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: All eyes will be on the Election Commission as the counting of votes in the elections to the Karnataka Assembly begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

In a matter of hours, it will become clear whether the State will have a stable government or may be headed for another phase of coalition politics.

Politicians, people, industry and trade are hoping that it will not be another fractured verdict as happened in 2004.

Opinion polls and exit polls have not helped unravel the mystery, with conflicting results emerging from different surveys.

The real fight it appears is between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, but the Janata Dal (Secular) may still emerge as the kingmaker.

It remains to be seen if the people give any party a clear majority or let them work out another coalition arrangement.

The Congress is contesting in 222 seats with the BJP fielding candidates in 224 and the JD(S) trying its luck in 223 constituencies. Among the other players in this election are the Janata Dal (United), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party, and the Left parties.

While the BJP from the word go has projected B.S. Yeddyurappa as its nominee for Chief Ministership, the Congress has shied away from doing that. Party leaders have taken the line that the Congress has never projected any particular candidate for leadership. The former Maharashtra Governor S.M. Krishna was pulled out of Raj Bhavan in Mumbai and appointed chairman of the election coordination and management committee to play an important role in the campaign.

The State unit has a president in M. Mallikarjun Kharge, and a Leader of the Opposition in the previous Legislative Assembly in N. Dharam Singh. Another leader in the reckoning is Siddaramaiah, who crossed over from the JD (Secular).

For the Janata Dal (Secular), the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has become a natural choice and he has enjoyed a popularity of his own, in addition to the traditional Janata Dal (S) base or the following of his father and the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

It remains to be seen if any of these leaders will be in a position to become the Chief Minister when the results are announced on Sunday or whether the bargaining and negotiations will have to begin all over again.

This election has witnessed some key contests and heavy spending, even according to political parties, though the Election Commission has kept a close watch on the expenditure and the model code of conduct.

The seizure of gifts intended to woo voters and the large currency chests unearthed in various parts of the State during the past few weeks stand testimony to the influence of money power in the election.

Some closely watched constituencies in terms of political importance are Shikaripur, Ramanagara, Jewargi, Varuna, Gadag and Chitapur.

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