Political activities in Karnataka have suddenly gained momentum after BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa left the party national executive meeting in Delhi to rush back to the state.
His abrupt return to Karnataka has happened amidst allegations by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy that the saffron party was using ‘dirty tricks’ to topple the alliance government of the Congress and the JDS.
Yeddyurappa was meant to attend the crucial two-day national executive meeting of the meeting, which started in Delhi on Saturday. However, he rushed back to Bengaluru on Saturday morning, giving rise to speculations that the BJP was indeed trying to form its government once again.
Yeddyurappa later said that his return to Karnataka was to attend a family emergency, but not many political pundits are buying his clarification.
This year’s assembly elections in May had given a fractured mandate in the southern coastal state of India. The BJP, which had fallen short of majority had stake its claim to form the government, but Yeddyurappa had to resign even before he could prove his majority in the assembly in a dramatic fashion.
The Congress with 78 MLAs and the JDS with 38 legislators had later comfortably secured the majority in the 224 member assembly.
The reason for BJP’s sudden optimism is the latest feud between Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar and the powerful Jarkhiholi brothers in Belgaum district.
Kumaraswamy told News18 he was aware of the “dirty tricks” used by the BJP to unseat him and his government was not so weak to be demolished like this.
The chief minister said, “We have done very well in the recently held Urban Local Body Elections. Congress and JDS together have won over 60% seats and got over 53% votes. The BJP is no longer a leading force in urban areas. If we continue in power till Lok Sabha elections next year, the BJP will bite the dust. That’s why they are back to old tactics. But we are prepared to fight them once again.”
Meanwhile, the BJP-led central government too is being accused of using its probe agency, Enforcement Directorate, against powerful Congress minister DK Shivakumar and his brother, DK Suresh, who is a Congress MP.
“The state BJP is using ED and Income Tax departments to harass us. They think that the government will collapse if they restrain us. But that will never happen. We will fight back and the government will be safe” News18 quoted DK Shivakumar as saying.