Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge said any decision on the Congress aligning with the JD(S) in the BBMP Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was left entirely to the discretion of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwara.
Speaking to presspersons in Mysuru, Mr. Kharge said the Congress high command or the All-India Congress Committee had no role to play in the reported efforts underway between the party and the JD(S) to keep the BJP out of power in the local body.
The Congress’ central leadership leaves decisions pertaining to local bodies to the local leadership. “At the most, they may seek the advice of the AICC General Secretary in charge of the State,” he added.
However, Mr. Kharge said he was confident that the local leadership will take a decision keeping the best interests of the party in mind.
Opinion dividedSpecial Correspondent from Bengaluru reports:
A few Bengaluru city Congress legislators’ move to strike a deal with the JD(S) to keep BJP out of power in BBMP has not gone well with a section of Ministers in the State Cabinet and several senior Congress legislators.
Sources in the party said the State Congress president G. Parameshwara, Ministers Dinesh Gundu Rao and Krishna Byre Gowda are not keen on the proposed alliance with the JD(S) and that a few loyalists of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have been working round-the-clock to form the alliance. Sources said that Mr. Parameshwara too expressed his reservations on the proposed alliance.
Speaking to The Hindu , a couple of Congress legislators questioned the credibility of leaders holding talks with the JD(S) and asked on what grounds the party can seek the support of the party which had moved a non-confidence against the government a few months ago.
Speaking to a Kannada television channel, Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the party would respect the poll mandate and would be ready to sit in the Opposition. Given the verdict, he said the question of forming an alliance with the JD(S) would not arise.
In a clear case of once bitten, twice shy, another legislator said: “We learnt a lesson when we took the support of JD(S) when Dharam Singh-led the Congress government in the State in 2004. The Congress party’s long-term prospects will be hurt if we go with the rival JD(S) again.”
In 2004, the JD(S) had withdrawn its support to the Congress-led government, and later H.D. Kumaraswamy had become the Chief Minister with the support of BJP for 20 months.
However, stating that in “politics there no permanent friends or enemies”, a legislator belonging to the minority community, said: “I would support the alliance with the JD(S) for the sake of Bengaluru. We saw the functioning of BBMP during BJP’s rule. We want the Congress to hold the reins of BBMP.”
The proposal on alliance with the JD(S) is also likely to figure in the State Cabinet meeting on Monday.
