The first Bhartiya Janata Party Government in Karnataka adopted the most unique approach to achieving a stable – though this cannot be concluded yet – reign. Over the last two months, the party has poached seven MLAs from the rival Congress and the Janata Dal Secular camp, made them resign from their membership of the Assembly and inducted them into the cabinet. Its toll in the Assembly election in May this year refused to exceed 110, three short of simple majority. Soon the BJP devised a strategy codenamed ‘Operation Kamal’ to lure the Opposition MLAs with the bait of ministerial portfolios. Though perfectly within law, the defecting MLAs were either inducted into the cabinet or anointed heads of corporation or boards. They have thus committed no defection and will be recontesting the election on BJP ticket. But what is legally tenable, cannot be always morally right. The MLAs have cited no ideological differences with parties they have deserted. They felt no moral qualms in giving up their seats to which they were elected only two months ago. Thirdly, the voters were not consulted. Fourthly, it was purely a bargain for positions and power as is evident from the aftermath.
Everything is said to be fair in love and war. The way BJP went about adding to its number in the Assembly only proved that it extends the axiom to politics too. The way it lured five legislators into the power corridor from the rival parties dumbfounded even the pastmasters in the game of politics. In fact, the BJP is scripting a new history in the state. Not only it left the Opposition shell-shocked at the brazen game of poaching, it even left the job of critics difficult. For, the poaching managers had forearmed themselves with legal safeguards.
Catalytic role of mining tycoons, Reddy brothers of Bellary, has left little to guess about the lucre of money power. Finally, the CM’s statement that it was all for the sake of stability, leaves none in doubt as to the gameplan of the BJP. All this has led to an impression that the iron ore mine owners from Bellary, namely G. Karunakar Reddy, G. Janardhan Reddy and B. Sriramulu, were holding the government hostage in their hands. Former two among them are brothers and ministers in the Yeddyurappa Government. One of them even posed with defecting MLAs in pictures for the media.
Though Mr. Yeddyurappa has stabilized his position for the time being, all is not hunky dory within the party and the Government. Umesh Katti, the last of the ‘poached’ MLAs could be inducted only after a lot of bitterness within the party. The Chief Minster had to secure the resignation of Horticulture Minister K. S. Bellubi to create space for Katti. Those who voted for Bellubi staged protests in his constituency in Belgaum district. He held his fort intransigently for a full week. Now Katti is in and Bellubi is out. Katti’s swearing-in ceremony in Raj Bhavan was boycotted by more than two-thirds of cabinet members. A group of 10 agitating MLAs who were exercised over ‘outsiders’ being rewarded at the cost of loyalists also held a meeting at a separate location. Signs of an incipient revolt are too clear to be mistaken.
Now of the 35 members in the Karnataka cabinet nine are outsiders, five are independents and four defectors. The defectors will have to seek reelection within six months and seven seats have fallen vacant in the 224–member house. However, the BJP has several plusses stacked on its side. The seven MLAs who have resigned from the Assembly will be facing voters on the ticket of ruling party and with robust credentials of either a minister or head of corporation or board.
But the BJP could justifiably sense trouble from the independents who are under no obligation to resign their seat. If the BJP wins all those seven seats, it would need no props from the independents and may throw them out. However, it would be on a shaky wicket if the byelection outcome is adverse. Whatever, it may be, the scenario down the road is worth a spectacle.
BJP State chief Sadananda Gowda did not approve of the game to woo the outsiders. It has led to some visible chinks in the party’s armour. Gowda made his displeasure known soon after the Trust vote in the Lok Sabha. Of the four MPs from the State who did not vote for their parties in the Trust Vote in Lok Sabha on July 24, three belonged to the BJP. All this does not augur well for the party which has almost put itself firmly in saddle of power in the state. Two BJP MPs, H. T. Sangliana representing Bangalore North and Manjunath Kannur of Dharwar South voted in favour of the Congress led Government in Delhi. A third MP, Manorama Madhavaraj representing Udupi abstained. All three were expelled from the party subsequently. The fourth MP who could not vote for the party was Srikantappa of Chikamagalur (now deceased) who could not be flown out of his mountainous constituency due to sickness.
H. T. Sangliana, a Mizo Chirstian representing the Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency, was never comfortable within the BJP ever since he was elected in 2004. He had been looking for the exit from the saffron party. Trust vote came as a godsend for him. Defiance of the whip earned him the much wanted expulsion. His office in the City was stoned by BJP workers a day after the Trust vote. Manjunath Kannur was feeling sidelined in the BJP. Now that he has been admitted into the Congress, he would be happy to contest from the Muslim dominated seat in the 2009 general election. Manorama Madhavaraj is to Karnataka’s politics what Sushma Swaraj is to national politics, both adding grace and glamour. But Manorama has been in and out of Congress and the BJP both. She abstained from voting in defiance of the party’s whip citing her support for clean nuclear energy.
Remarkably, Yeddyurappa took all these coolly in his stride. But not the party chief, Sadananda Gowda. He made a caustic remark against inducting defectors into the party and rewarding them with plum posts in the Government. Even the induction of five independents into the cabinet by the CM was not to his liking.
Undoubtedly, the chief minister has engaged himself in a high stake gamble. But currently the going is good for the BJP in Karnataka. The chief rival Congress is in shambles. JDS is fragmenting at a fast pace. Monsoon has had copious precipitation. Industry is doing well and Mr. Yeddyurappa enjoys a sound position within the party.