Gowda’s outbursts strain JD (S)-BJP relations in Karnataka

Former Prime Minister and JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda’s outbursts against BJP leaders in Karnataka has strained the relations between the coalition partners and threatened the survival of the H D Kumaraswamy-led JD (S)-BJP Government.

A day after Gowda accused “some” BJP Ministers in Karnataka of blocking the efforts to nationalize the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project for “other considerations”, hectic efforts were launched to save the four-month-old coalition Government.

Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu was scheduled to fly into Bangalore on Saturday after the JD (S) supremo assailed the saffron party’s leadership in New Delhi for remaining “mute spectators”. He is expected to assuage the ruffled feelings of the JD (S) leadership and prevent the premature collapse of the coalition Government.

Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader in Karnataka B S Yediyurappa, who is in touch with Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, said he would call on Gowda in Bangalore and sort out the matter.

Notwithstanding Gowda’s public threat that the BJP will have to face the consequence of opposing the Government take-over of the BMIC project, the Karnataka unit of BJP remains adamant against the proposal of the JD (S) in the matter. “There is no question of taking over the BMIC project at this stage”, BJP’s Karnataka unit President D V Sadananda Gowda told reporters.

The BJP, however, is willing to go as far as reclaiming the “excess land” allocated for the BMIC project and return the same to the farmers. But, Gowda is firm not only on taking over the project by passing a piece of legislation in the Assembly, but also auctioning the excess land in the open market without returning the same to the farmers.

So firm is the BJP against the proposal to take-over the project that party’s Ministers boycotted a Cabinet meeting scheduled earlier this week to discuss the matter. “The JD (S) should not force the Government to be in a situation to be reprimanded by the courts as had already happened thrice”, he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP has convened a legislature party meeting shortly to discuss the issue. The party’s view on the matter will be placed during the co-ordination committee meeting of the coalition partners. However, Deputy Chief Minister Yediyurappa claimed that there was no threat to the coalition Government and expressed hope that the matter will be resolved at the co-ordination committee meeting of the coalition partners, which will be convened in a couple of days.