Karnataka INC, JD-S leaders day dreaming about becoming CM’s while BJP sets “Operation 2” in motion
Bengaluru,02 December(HS): Thanks to the political developments at Maharashtra, the Indian National Congress(INC) and Janata Dal-Secular(JD-S) leaders of the state are in a upbeat mood to come back to power by burying the hatchet. However, to upset their day dreaming of returning to power and thwart all mega plans the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) is said to have set in motion “Operation Lotus 2”.
The electioneering campaign for the ensuing 05 December bye-elections to 15 Assembly constituencies began with a dull note but for Siddaramaiah, former chief minister and Congress Legislative Party(CLP) leader taking the lead all alone in a whirlwind fashion.
Interestingly as the day of public campaigning ends by tomorrow evening, Siddaramaiah by and large has remained all alone in campaigning for the party candidates. Many a party senior leader have chose it wise to abstain themselves from joining hands with the former chief minister elevated as CLP leader soon after the fall of JDS-INC coalition government.
Most of the loyalist old timers are upset against the ever growing rapport of Siddaramaiah with the party high command. They include Mallikarjun Kharge, KH Muniyappa, BK Hariprasad, HK Patil among many a other.
They are sore with the party higher ups’ for not taking cognisance of their longtime association in rewarding with the highest position of the state after the 2013 general elections and instead preferred Siddaramaiah, a relatively newcomer in comparison to themselves.
Some of them also preferred to stay away from the election committee meetings called for selection of candidates to the present bye-elections. They had accused Siddaramaiah of failing to stop his 14 Congress MLA proteges from deserting the party to join the BJP later.
In spite of such a grave political blunder leading to the collapse of the alliance government Siddaramaiah was made the CLP leader. Not only that he was even allowed to wield his choice over the selection of candidates for the ensuing bye-polls, lament the oldtimers.
But past is past as they keep claiming and likewise there are no permanent friends or foes in politics, there is a jubilant mood in the Congress camp over the possible outcome of the bye-polls. Congressmen are under the illusion that in the event of the ruling BJP failing to emerge victorious in at least six constituencies then it will be again honeymoon time for the INC and JD-S!
“Kusu huttuva munna kulavi holidaru” is a Kannada proverb meaning stitching a child’s headgear much before it is born. The predicament in INC and JD-S parties is much similar to the age old proverb.
Although it is just four months since the ouster of the previous JDS-INC government and the public diatribe since then between both, INC and JD-S leaders and more so with Siddaramaiah against HD Devegowda and HD Kumaraswamy no new lessons seem to have been learnt.
Siddaramaiah, all along the 14 month’s tenure of HD Kumaraswamy kept on reiterating at all party public meetings that he would like to become the chief minister once again. Though he himself was the Convener of the INC-JDS coordination committee he went to the extent of writing to the chief minister on the measures to be taken up for consideration.
Such remarks of the former Janata Pariwar man went on irritating the incumbent chief minister and the patriarch of JD-S but were forced to swallow all these remarks in the interest of continuance of the alliance government.
But once the alliance government fell it was a free for all like atmosphere paving way for angry exchange of abusive words and terms between Siddaramaiah on one side and HD Devegowda and HD Kumaraswamy on the other.
Despite the BS Yediyurappa led BJP government assuming office Siddaramaiah keeps on harping remarks like “I am going to become the chief minister of the state once again” much to the chagrin of the Devegowda and sons.
Sensing the probable changing scenario both, HD Devegowda and HD Kumaraswamy also in tune with the fast changing times changed their stance swiftly. If HD Kumaraswamy claimed: We will not allow the BJP government to fall. HD Devegowda declared: BS Yediyurappa will complete the remaining three and a half years term in office, much to the surprise and shock of the BJP leaders.
After making such pronouncements in no time the father and son duo again keep on reversing their stance quite often. If HD Devegowda tried to argue: The state may also witness a change in situation like in Maharashtra but everything depends upon the decision Sonia Gandhi.
While HD Kumaraswamy tried to re correct his own previous statement: I had only said that I’ll not allow the government to fall but had never told it to be a BJP government!
Perhaps kindergarten school children unaware of the political circumstances and consequences may listen to the father and son duo statements unmindfully!
Siddaramaiah on one side is craving upon the CM’s position while both, father and son duo are hellbent in ensuring at all costs that such a thing will never happen in their dreams also.
But Congressmen are fondly akin with the new found idea of marrying the divorced wife once again with no conditions. They are too gracious and magnanimous enough to forget and forgive in a hurry to come back to power.
As greedy political party leaders making it to power positions hook or crook, Congressmen may be right in their wishful thinking and ploy. Perhaps what they lack in common sense is the awareness of the ruling BJP in hoodwinking them by resorting to “Operation Lotus 2” in the event of the saffron party failing to win a minimum of six seats in the forthcoming bye-elections.
Dinesh Gundurao, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) president has repeatedly claimed: The BS Yediyurappa led BJP government is again on its way of poaching our legislators through operation lotus. But they will not be successful.
If party sources can be believed, the ruling BJP has already drawn plans to poach seven JD-S and three Congress legislators in the event of the party failing to win a minimum of six seats to make it to the magical number of 113 in a house of 224 elected members. One from the Anglo Indian community is nominated but has no voting powers.
Though not in public domain, BS Yediyurappa has been oft repeating in party circles that there is no danger to his government irrespective of the electoral reversals.
To sum up, the turn over of political consequences is candidly clear for the days to come. But if some political leaders want to rejoice in having a illusion of stitching headgear much before the kid is born, why should anyone think of stopping them from having their quota of personal joy?
