Why JD(S)'s Gowdas are keen to keep BJP united in Karnataka

Amid the increasing internal feud in Karnataka’s BJP unit, the father-son duo of JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy (HDK) are busy mediating between BS Yediyurappa and his rival camp these days.

Interestingly, this comes at a time when a section of the JD(S) leaders are worried about the party’s future. Unfazed, the duo are leaving no stone unturned to strengthen the BJP in the state and corner their political opponents – Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar – to prove their existence.

Talking to The Federal, a Vokkaliga MLA of JD(S) said, “The BJP’s Karnataka unit is not in good shape because of increasing factionalism and infighting. Our leaders are trying to unite BJP but their approach has left our party workers confused.” However, at the same time, he said, “They plan to strengthen the BJP, as they are aware that only this can shake the Congress base in Karnataka.”

De facto BJP leader?

Another JD(S) leader said that HDK is acting like a BJP leader and attacking the Congress government. However, the BJP leaders are not aggressive enough to target the ruling party both in and outside the assembly, he added. “JDS is losing its credibility as a secular party while several MLAs and leaders are ready to quit the party. Our leader HDK has become the de facto leader of BJP,” he opined.

Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy have been trying to pacify the anti-BSY leaders of the BJP. After BSY's son BY Vijayendra and his loyalist R Ashok were elevated to the posts of state party president and Leader of Opposition, the anti-BSY camp, including Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, CT Ravi, V Somanna, Ramesh Jarkiholi and others, are publicly commenting against the BSY faction. The incumbent BJP MPs are not happy with the developments with just a few months left for the Lok Sabha elections.

Pacifying Somanna

Deve Gowda called V Somanna, a prominent Lingayat leader, to his residence on Friday evening and held consultations with him for more than an hour in the presence of his sons HD Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna.

Somanna is blaming the BSY camp for his loss in the assembly elections. He is also upset with R Ashok, once his friend after he switched loyalty to BSY. It is said that Somanna is planning to quit the BJP and join Congress to contest the Lok Sabha elections. However, Deve Gowda advised him not to take a harsh decision while promising him that he would hold talks with the BJP top brass.

“This is a good opportunity to teach a lesson to the ruling Congress in the state. In such a situation, you should not decide to leave the party because of some unpleasant developments,” Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy are said to have suggested to Somanna.

Sumalatha factor

Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambarish is also upset with the BJP following reports that the party was willing to give away the Mandya Lok Sabha seat to the JD(S) given their tie-up in Karnataka.

Sumalatha considers HDK as her political rival after she fought the last elections against his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy. Now, HDK wants the constituency for his son again in the coming general election. Sumalatha, who was an independent MP, recently joined the BJP and is in no mood to give up her seat for the sake of the alliance.

It is said that the BJP has assured Sumalatha that she will be suitably adjusted in some other constituency. However, she is not in favour of switching her Lok Sabha segment. She is willing to join Congress or even contest as an independent candidate again. If she contests on her own, it will lead to division of votes and eventually help Congress.

Now, HDK has been trying to convince Sumalatha to remain in the BJP. HDK held deliberations with Induvalu Sachidananda, a close confidant of Sumalatha, over the issue on Sunday.

Firefighting for ally

Kumaraswamy also met former BJP minister Ramesh Jarkiholi a few weeks ago amid reports that he wanted to join the JD(S). However, the circumstances changed after JD(S) extended support to the BJP and now HDK wants Jarkiholi to remain where he is.

Aware of the fact that Jarkiholi holds considerable clout among the ST community and the Belagavi region, HDK wants his help in the fight against DK Shivakumar. It is said that HDK advised him to unite the BJP to defeat Congress in the general elections.

Jarkiholi, on the other hand, asked HDK to support him in getting a BJP ticket for his friend CP Yogeshwar from Bengaluru Rural against DK Shivakumar's brother DK Suresh for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Like Jarkiholi, Yogeshwar too is identified with the anti-BSY camp. It is said that HDK promised him to discuss the matter with the BJP high command.

Similarly, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, one of the leaders who openly opposed the BSY camp, has also been invited for talks by Kumaraswamy. Yatnal, a Panchamasali Lingayat leader, has his support base in the North Karnataka region and the BJP is not in a position to take action against him. It is said that HDK wants to mediate between Vijayendra and Yatnal. Kumaraswamy met another anti-BSY camp leader, former BJP general secretary CT Ravi, at the former’s farmhouse on Sunday.

Backing BJP MP

When Mysuru MP Pratap Simha’s brother Vikram was arrested in a case where trees were chopped off for timber business in Hassan, none of the BJP leaders came out in his support. However, HDK backed the BJP MP to the hilt and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of framing a false case against Pratap’s brother to defame him.