The Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) succeeded this week in dislodging the BJP government and B S Yeddyurappa in the Karnataka assembly . For second time in a week , BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa skipped the crucial floor test and staged a walk out minutes before the Trust Vote moved by H D Kumaraswamy. The Congress and Janata dal (Secular) who had joined hands to deny the single largest party a chance to govern the state with 104 MLA’s in a house of 222 managed to move ahead of the crisis.
While the developments in first few days raised questions about the stability of the new government in Karnataka headed by JDS President H D Kumaraswamy , the chief minister extended an arm to the Congress willing to accommodate the party.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s swearing in ceremony was a grand spectre of the coming together of anti Modi forces . The heavy rain that lashed the city nearly washed it out , but for a small streak of sunlight that gave H D Kumaraswamy to be sworn in as Chief Minister just after the heavy rain . The oath taking ceremony of H D Kumaraswamy as Chief Ministeer and his deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara , President of the KPCC became an event to showcase Unity in the Opposition ranks. Leaders from across the country of all parties planning to form a United front to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 attended the spectacle. Congress President Rahul Gandhi , Sonia Gandhi , BSP President Mayawati , Akshilesh Yadav , Mamta Banerjee , Arvind Kejriwal , Pinarayi Vijayan stood united with former Prime Minister H D Devegowda in front of Vidhan Soudha for the media photo-op.
On the face of it , the event looked a grand coalition , but the questions remained as to who would ally with whom in which state ? Former Kerala Minister Jose Thettayil , a JDS leader speaking to The Sunday Guardian said,” Back home in Kerala we are allies with the Left parties and fight elections against the Congress led UDF. It’s important to keep BJP at bay but when I speak to our workers what do I tell them?”
A question that was running in many minds on the futility of the exercise was visible even during the oath taking event. The Congress strongman D K Shivakumar who played a key role in keeping the Congress MLA’s from being poached was expected to be sworn in along with H D Kumaraswamy , but him missing out the Cabinet bus annoyed his supporters. Milind Dharmasena , a D K Shivakumar aide told The Sunday Guardian,”One must remember that if this government is getting formed D K Sir had a crucial role. It was his alertness which foiled efforts to poach many MLA’s from the resort”
While H D Kumaraswamy , stayed away from assuring anything concrete to the people of the state on the farmers loan issue waiver , but the coalition pressures were very visible. Skipping several questions on the longevity of the government and the power sharing mechanism in his maiden press conference as Chief Minister, H D Kumaraswamy steered clear of committing himself on contentious Lingayat separate religion issue and the Mahadayi issue.
These are just few of the issues that the state faces immediately and will need immediate attention. What shocked many was the direct attack by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy against the seer of Sanehalli Lingayat Mutt Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swamiji. While many were expecting that the sensitive Lingayat separate religion issue may get a patient hearing and attention of the new JDS- Congress government, Kumaraswamy’s rebuff stating “State has more important issues than Lingayat religion issue” hurt the sentiments of many from the community. Given the fact that with over 50 Lingayat MLA’s in the new assembly things maybe difficult to control .
While the JDS which has been allotted 12 cabinet berths under the power sharing mechanism is struggling to find candidates for the same from amongst its 37 MLA’s , the Congress party is facing a problem of plenty to fill up its share of 22 Cabinet berths. The Veershaiva Lingayat associations demand for a deputy chief ministership for a senior Lingayat leader to assuage its feelings while the minority muslims who constitute 19% of the population hope that the coalition will give a Deputy Chief ministership to a Muslim MLA. The pulls and pressures in both the JDS and the Congress are alike , with only difference being that in the case of the JDS , the aspirants are running toPadmanabhanagar residence of Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda and in case of the Congress the rush is to Ashoka road in Delhi.
With a wafer thin majority, both the parties are treading carefully to contain rebellion in the ranks. Senior Congress Leader Veerappa Moily speaking to Sunday Guardian after the swearing in ceremony said,” I have advised cabinet expansion in batches to both the parties. Hope they will follow the same”.