The deepening Cauvery crisis has brought together friends-turned-foes H.D. Deve Gowda, Janata Dal (Secular) supremo, and Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister. This has set off speculations on the long-term political calculations of this bonhomie.
The swift political developments on Wednesday not only saw Mr. Siddaramaiah making a visit to the home of Mr. Gowda — first time after quitting the JD(S) to join Congress — but also the latter stepping into the Vidhana Soudha after a gap of 20 years to take part in the all-party meeting convened to discuss the issue. The Chief Minister decided to take advice from “the authority on water resources of Karnataka.”
Mr. Gowda is said to have advised Mr. Siddaramaiah against sacrificing the Chief Minister’s post and suggested to him to not release Cauvery waters even if it means defying the court order, regardless of the legal and Constitutional consequences.
Political circles are watching with curiosity Mr. Gowda “softening” towards his protégé Mr. Siddaramaiah, towards whom he was bitter after he left the JD(S). Despite ill-health, Mr. Gowda had visited Mr. Siddaramaiah when he lost his son Rakesh. Interestingly, Mr. Gowda has been soft on Mr. Siddaramaiah ever since the Cauvery crisis blew up this time, even as his son and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy attacked him for the decision.
Wednesday’s developments are being viewed not merely as a “change of heart” between the two leaders, but are indicative of long-term political implications.
In the immediate future, it seems to indicate that chances of the JD(S) and the Bharatiya Janata Party coming together in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are dim. Currently, the Congress and the JD(S) together hold power in the BBMP, while the BJP, which has the largest number of seats, is trying to wrest power.
