In a swift political development on Wednesday, the Janata Dal (Secular) joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party and succeeded in grabbing the post of Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council.
On learning that the JD (S) was trying to dislodge both the Chairman and Deputy Chairperson with the support of the Congress, BJP leaders swung into action and after hectic parleys, the JD (S) agreed to take the Deputy Chairperson’s post and allow D.H. Shankaramurthy to continue as the Chairman.
With the retirement of eight members, the strength of the BJP is now reduced to 31. The BJP could retain the post of chairman by taking the support of 12 JD (S) members. But the Congress has only 28 members and the rest (four) are Independents.
With senior party leader Basavaraj Horatti refusing to take up the post, three-time member Puttanna was the natural choice of JD (S) for the Deputy Chairman’s post.
In an ironic reversal, Mr. Puttanna, who was Deputy Speaker, was removed from his post through a resolution passed in 2011 and Vimala Gowda occupied the post. Now, Ms. Vimala Gowda had to vacate the post to accommodate Mr. Puttanna again.
BJP leaders K.S. Eshwarappa and Jagadish Shettar, and JD (S) leaders H.D. Kumaraswamy, Basavaraj Horatti and N. Chaluvarayaswamy held meetings on entering into an understanding based on “mutual” cooperation.
It is said that the BJP State president Pralhad Joshi and Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ananthakumar also held talks with JD (S) president H.D. Deve Gowda in Delhi.
“[State] party chief Pralhad Joshi requested me to cooperate in the interest of the party,” Ms. Vimala Gowda said.
Earlier, the Congress was keen on grabbing the post of chairman and leaving the Deputy Chairperson’s post to the JD (S). A senior JD (S) leader on condition of anonymity said that the Congress failed to make the right move at the right time and the BJP grabbed the opportunity to save Mr. Shankaramurthy’s post.
