It appears that political polarisation and party-hopping have begun in the State though Assembly polls are still over a year away.
While veteran Dalit leader V. Srinivas Prasad joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, political circles are thick with rumours of the possibility of C.M. Ibrahim, senior Congress leader and a trusted lieutenant of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, joining the Janata Dal (Secular). Giving credence to this, Mr. Siddaramaiah called on Mr. Ibrahim, apparently to make efforts to keep the flock together.
Meanwhile, Jayaprakash Hegde, a leader to reckon with in coastal Karnataka is all set to join the BJP. Mr. Hegde was expelled from the Congress for alleged anti-party activities. Immediately after Mr. Hegde announced his plans to contest as an Independent in the next Assembly polls, the BJP sprung into action and succeeded in wooing him into its fold.
Trouble in JD(S)
At the same time some suspended MLAs of JD(S), including Zameer Ahmed Khan, are considering joining the National Congress Party (NCP). Mr. Khan recently told the media that he would meet NCP president Sharad Pawar on January 8, and take a decision on leading the party in Karnataka. However, sources in JD(S) said the party may go soft on MLAs K. Gopalaiah and Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda “for having repented for cross-voting in favour of the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls”.
With State JD(S) president H.D. Kumaraswamy camping in Hubballi to rebuild the party in north Karnataka, it is said that a few leaders of the erstwhile Janata Parivar, including Satish Jarkiholi, who supported Mr. Siddaramaiah in building the AHINDA movement are planning to return to JD(S).
The JD(S) is said to be keen on inducting Mr. Ibrahim and projecting him as the “Muslim face” of the party.
Disciplinary action
Interestingly, office-bearers of the Congress are learnt to have demanded disciplinary action against Mr. Ibrahim for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities. His verbal attack on Mr. Siddaramaiah and praises showered on his ‘political mentor’ and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda did not augur well with the party leaders.
