JDS backtracks on giving BJP outside support

Bengaluru: With days to go before the new BJP chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa faces a floor test on Monday, the BJP was buoyed by two developments — the Congress’ failed mission to bring the three key Siddaramaiah acolytes turned rebels back to the fold and the Janata Dal (S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda publicly saying that his party will not back the BJP even as a senior member of the party said the rank and file wanted to extend outside support to the BJP.

A day after the governor invited BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa to be sworn in and face a trust vote, the beleaguered Congress Party, which can see the writing on the wall, made a last ditch effort to woo back the dissidents but met with little success. KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao flew to Mumbai on Saturday, with his office saying he was on a personal visit while Eshwar Khandre, the KPCC working president, arrived in Pune on an unscheduled visit.

Inside sources have told this newspaper that both the leaders reportedly tried to reach out to the dissident MLAs who are at the Amby Valley resort and under the watchful eye of BJP minders. However, the dissidents did not answer the calls that the two leaders made. In fact, to avoid the media glare, the two leaders did proffer different reasons on why they were heading to Mumbai and Pune and took different routes to avoid the media after landing in these cities.

However, the remarks by former minister G.T. Deve Gowda on JD(S) MLAs’ echoing remarks by a section of JD(S) legislators asking forme chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to extend outside support to the BJP government headed by chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa set off another storm, with many within the JD(S) reportedly even favouring a no-show at the trust vote to ensure that they do not have to vote against the motion, allowing Mr Yeddyurappa a smooth and uncontested win.

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda was, however, quick to squash any speculation of outside or inside support by saying on Saturday that he ruled out any support to the BJP government headed by Mr Yediyurappa. He added that his party would play the role of a “constructive” Opposition.

Mr Kumaraswamy too rubbished the reports about JD(S) extending support to the BJP. “I have gone through the baseless report about JD(S) developing relationship with the BJP. Our party MLAs and workers should not give ear to such rumours. We will build the party by serving the people. Our pro-people struggle is continuous,” he tweeted.

After a meeting of JD(S) MLAs on Friday, party senior leader G.T. Deve Gowda had said, “Some have suggested that we should sit in Opposition, while some legislators are of the opinion that we should support the BJP from outside.”

“We are going to play a constructive role. As a regional party we will oppose where we have to oppose. That’s all. If you (Mr Yediyurappa) do something good for the state, we will welcome it,” Mr Deve Gowda told reporters here.

The JD(S) patriarch said, “There is no big deal in saying so (support to BJP). His (G.T. Deve Gowda’s) intention was that the finance bill was passed (before July 31) because it was a Budget presented by Mr Kumaraswamy.”

Mr Gowda explained that G.T. Deve Gowda intended to say that the JD(S) would not oppose every move of the BJP just for the heck of it.

“The pain of losing power within 14 months instead of 60 months (five years) is evident among the Congress and JD(S) leaders. G.T. Deve Gowda had conveyed the feelings of legislators and there was no need to make it a big issue. Even the Congress was equally sad as the coalition government collapsed within just 14 months. The former minister had right to express his opinion,” Mr Deve Gowda said.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that more Congress MLAs from North Karnataka could quit, a BJP insider told this newspaper. There are strong indications that Congress MLAs from North Karnataka are eager to join the BJP once the trust vote process is over, he said. “The list of Congress MLAs who could switch to the BJP are not the same as the ones who resigned. That list of MLAs are predominantly Lingayats and STs (Bhovi/Nayaka) from the Congress from North Karnataka. If these MLAs resign from the Congress, they can win the seats back on a BJP ticket because of the Lingayat caste factor and the strength of the BJP cadre in these districts. The BJP is, however, relatively weak in the seats from which the 15 MLAs have resigned from. It is difficult for the BJP to win some of these South Karnataka seats. Therefore, more number of Congress MLAs may resign from the north and that will help the BJP,” sources said.