Narayana Swamy
Political Analyst
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Mar 18: Honest and upright politicians have very little scope in power games. This has been proved time and again, and now, Karnataka chief minister, always a smiling face and regarded as one of the cleanest chief ministers in the history of Karnataka, is facing the threat of his losing his chair even before completing the assembly term in Karnataka.
In his case, it's not the opposition, but his own partymen that are pulling at his legs and firing all guns to bring him down from the CM post. On March 18 Karnataka CM is celebrating his 59th birthday but without much fanfare, without any big rallies, no advertisements in media, no poster around the streets. In Bangalore, when some of his supporters fixed his cut-out on Sunday, he politely asked them to remove it as he was not in a mood to celebrate when people have been suffering from drought in many places of north Karnataka.
Meanwhile, B S Yeddyurappa, who is struggling to get back his control over Karnataka BJP, ever since he lost the job as CM of state, has intensified his 'backdoor' activities to regain the CM seat. Reliable sources have revealed that Karnataka's BJP politics has attained a new mode, and the final result will be out within one or two days.
Though Yeddyurappa was active in trying to convince his central leadership to bring DVS down, and take up the CM chair again, he was asked to keep quiet until the Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll. The polling will be completed by 5 pm on Sunday, and Yeddyurappa is already meeting his supporters at his Race Course residence in Bangalore. Once the strategy is worked out, Yeddyurappa is expected to leave for New Delhi to meet top BJP leaders.
Though DVS has announced the state budget session on March 21, the party is still not sure about who would be presenting the budget. By deafault, DVS, who is also holding the portfolio of finance, has to present the budget, but many top leaders feel otherwise.
It was Yeddyurappa's dream to present the 2012-13 budget, the last one before the next state assembly elections. He had plans to present a Rs 1-lac crore state budget, and sources say that he is still hopeful of presenting it. If his dream cannot be realised, he expects his close associate, Lingayat leader Jadish Shettar to be given finance portfolio, so that the budget is presented by him.
Hectic lobbying is going on in the BJP unit of Karntaka. The party is clearly divided into two factions, and the Yeddyurappa group expects to gather at least 65 MLAs, while the rest of the MLAs may be with Sadananda Gowda-Eshwarappa unit.
Even as this news go online, three important developments have given rise to further turmoil in Karnataka BJP politics.
Balagangadhara Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri who is also celebrating his birthday, received D V Sadananda Gowda at his Mutt, and expressed dissatisfaction over the state politics saying that since D V Sadananda Gowda belongs to Vokkaliga community, a conspiracy has been going on to remove him from the CM's post. This is a clear example of how caste poltics is dominating Karnataka.
Secondly, B Jarkiholi, a state minister close to DVS and Eshwarappa, has offered to resign along with 20 other colleagues, expressing his concern over the 'politics' of his partymen. He told the media that the infighting in BJP in the last three months has caused several hurdles in the development of state.
Thirdly, B P Harish, close aide of B S Yeddyurappa, speaking to media in Bangalore said that at least 60-65 BJP MLAs are meeting in Bangalore at around 4 pm to hold important discussion with regard to change of guard in the state. After the meeting it will be decided whether Yeddyurappa would be going to New Delhi or not.
Sources from New Delhi have informed daijiworld that Yeddyurappa has already succeeded in convincing top leaders Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley about giving him back the CM post. However, senior leader L K Advani and Sushma Swaraj are said to be opposing such a move.
In general, the possibilities in Karnataka BJP politics are several:
- Yeddyurappa may tighten his hold, and never agree to anything less than the CM post
- For this reason, he may call a BJP legislative council members' meet in Bangalore, to propose his name as CM.
- If he fails to convince either ways, he may propose Jagadish Shettar's name as Sadananda Gowda's replacement.
- In case there is no possiblity of changing the CM in the state, then he may demand Jagadish Shettar to be made finance minister, so that he can present the budget. This move could put DVS in an embarrassing position, as DVS has declared that he would be presenting the budget at any cost
- Yeddyurappa may form a regional political party called 'Karnataka Bharatiya Janatha Party' in the state, if none of his demands are met by the high command.
- The final option is to meet the state government and withdraw his support to the along with his supporters.
But there is unconfirmed news from Bangalore that state BJP chief Eshwarappa might ask DVS to dissolve the assembly at least a year before the completion of the party's full term.
In any case, the final result might be out even before the Udupi bypoll results!
If BJP loses the bypoll, then Yeddyurappa will become much stronger, as DVS might take responsibility for the poll debacle and step down, paving the way for the Yeddy group to take charge of the state!
This is politics, anything can happen here. For now, let's cross our fingers and wait...