With the worst ever performance of the Congress in the general elections in Karnataka, a serious threat of the collapse of the coalition government in the State looms large. While the outcome of the Cabinet meeting called on Friday is being watched with curiosity, coalition leaders claimed that the government “will be stable despite the results”.
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Disastrous performance
A year after the formation of the coalition government, which was seen as a possible model for a non-BJP formation, the governing alliance’s performance was disastrous as both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) were submerged under what is widely described as a “Modi wave”. The Congress’ lowest ever performance in the State was in 1996, when it bagged five seats.
While the Congress retained Bengaluru Rural (D.K. Suresh), the JD(S) too retained its traditional stronghold Hassan (Prajwal Revanna, son of Public Works Minister H.D. Revanna of the JD-S).
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The decimation comes after months of internal bickering and strain between the coalition partners, which had refused to die down in the run-up to the elections and continued even after the polling. The blame game is expected to grow louder with the performance.
While the JD(S) has called a meeting of its legislators on Friday, the Congress is also expected to call its legislators’ meeting soon to take stock of the poll outcome.
Several disgruntled leaders were on the fence, and with the dismal results, the threat of desertions is on the rise. Some who were waiting for the Lok Sabha election results may announce their decision on leaving the alliance soon. Already, Congress legislators such as Ramesh Jarkiholi, R. Roshan Baig, K. Sudhakar, B.C. Patil, B. Nagendra, and Mahesh Kumathalli, and Independent MLA H. Nagesh have expressed their resentment against the coalition government and some even threatened to quit the party.
Citing “moral grounds”, the BJP has already stated its demand to seek the resignation of Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Coalition leaders are also expected to demand the resignation of State Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao and JD(S) State president A.H. Vishwanath for the poor showing.
Top leaders meet
As the results started pouring in on Thursday, leaders of the JD(S), including, the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Mr. Kumaraswamy, and Mr. Vishwanath, went into a huddle. After the defeat of his father, Mr. Gowda, in Tumakuru and son, K. Nikhil, in Mandya, Mr. Kumaraswamy rushed to the JD(S) supremo’s residence at Padmanabhanagar and Mr. Vishwanath joined them.
According to sources, Mr. Vishwanath offered to resign from the party post owning responsibility for the party’s defeat. Mr. Gowda, however, is learnt to have convinced Mr. Vishwanath not to rush to take any decision.