President’s rule imposed in Karnataka

NEW DELHI: The 10-DAY political uncertainty that had developed in Karnataka following chief minister H D Kumaraswamy’s refusal to hand over the reins of power to his deputy B S Yediyurappa came to an end on Tuesday with the Union cabinet deciding to impose President’s rule in the state.

Karnataka governor Rameshwar Thakur had on Monday night recommended dissolution of the state assembly after the Kumaraswamy government was reduced to a minority in the wake of the BJP’s withdrawal of support.
The JD(S)’ attempts to enlist the Congress’ backing to its power-project fell through as the latter, still licking the wounds received by it from its earlier flirtation with the father-son duo of Mr H D Deve Gowda and Mr Kumaraswamy, refused to take the bait.

Confronted with a Lingayat backlash and revolt by a section of his party, Mr Kumaraswamy, ignoring his father’s objections, reopened channels of communication with Mr Yediyurappa and state BJP chief Sadanand Gowda in an effort to save the alliance. The two saffron leaders were, however, stopped in their track by their central leadership and, more importantly, the RSS.

The state BJP leadership was warned against doing any business with the JD(S) in view of its `treacherous’ track-record in adhering to the basic tenets of coalition politics. Reviving ties with the JD(S), they were told, would tantamount to committing `political hara-kiri.’

Rather than seeking to resurrect the alliance, the state BJP leaders were asked to gear up the party machinery for a fresh round of electoral battle. Following the father-son duo’s `betrayal’ and `back-stabbing’ the political situation in the state had become favourable for the party, with the Lingayats itching to get back at Mr Deve Gowda and his son for their refusal to hand over the chief minister’s chair to their nominee Yediyurappa.

In the BJP’s assessment, it was not just the Lingayats who were seething with anger over the `betrayal of trust’ by the JD(S). The popular mood in the state, they argued, had turned against the regional party, and there was all-round sympathy for the BJP.

While the BJP would like to use the spell of President’s rule in the state to consolidate its hold among the people, the Congress, which faced the worrying prospect of being reduced to the status of a fringe-player, would like to use the interregnum to further its agenda and reclaim its support-base comprising the weaker sections and the Muslims, besides large chunks of Vokkaligas. In the just-concluded civic elections, it suffered the mortification of seeing its catchment area shrink, with a big chunk of Muslims shifting their allegiance to the JD(S).

As for the JD(S), it is likely to use the spell of President’s rule for strengthening its grip on the Vokkaligas and the Muslims, but faces the prospect of seeing the Lingayats rally behind the saffron outfit.