Bengaluru: With Exit Polls predicting a ‘TsuNamo’ to hit Delhi on Thursday, the HD Kumaraswamy government in Karnataka has started wobbling.
Two incidents on Tuesday sent political windmills spinning. First, the BJP has made a move to form a shadow government in Karnataka in case the HDK government falls, which the saffron party is sure. Party president Amit Shah reportedly dialled former chief minister and Lingayat leader from north Karnataka, Jagdish Shettar, and asked him to prepare a list of probably leaders who could be made ministers ‘soon’.
What surprised many was that Shah bypassed Opposition leader BS Yeddyruappa. Sources say that the CM mantle may not go to Yeddyurappa as he has crossed 75 years and BJP rules prohibit such leaders from holding any post. Shah’s telephone call sent the BJP into hyperactive mode and the JD(S)-Congress alliance into a tizzy.
Even as the Congress leaders were meeting to counter the BJP move, the second major incident rocked the grand old party. Senior Congress leader Roshan Baig dropped a ‘bomb’ appealing to Muslims to compromise with the situation and support the BJP. Apart from dropping a ‘minority bomb,’ Baig also dropped hints of quitting the party.
“Well if NDA is coming back to power, I humbly appeal to Muslim brothers to learn to compromise with the situation,” he told a section of media here. Asked if that means Muslims should join hands with BJP, Baig said if need arises, they must as the Congress had given just one ticket to a Muslim leader in Karnataka. “If needs be, (Muslims) must join hands. We must not remain loyal to one party.
What happened to Muslims in Karnataka? The Congress gave just one seat,” he said. Asked if he will take a decision to quit Congress in coming days, Baig said “If needs be, I will do it because we (Muslims) cannot remain in a party with disgrace. We live our lives with grace and dignity,” he said.
Baig was harsh in criticising KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao for conducting “flop poll campaign” and also attacked CLP leaders including Siddaramaiah for the “collapse” of the Congress-JD(U) alliance in the state. “I hold Dinesh Gundu Rao for conducting a flop poll campaign. Moreover, CLP leaders who were flying high in the sky should come to terms with ground realities,” he added.
The KPCC later sent a showcause notice to Roshan Baig and asked him to reply within a week. Baig said: “I’ve received the showcause notice sent to me by the KPCC. I”m not even going to bother to read it because it”s clearly sent by the orders of the same people whose incompetencies were highlighted by me.”
HDK cancels Delhi vist
Amidst the friction in the coalition in Karnataka, chief minister HD Kumaraswamy cancelled his visit to New Delhi to meet Election Commission, along with the 21 opposition parties, over the issue of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). Kumaraswamy had cancelled his visit after expressing concern over the vulnerability of EVMs on Monday.
