Gowda meets Governor, but Kumaraswamy promises not to betray BJP

Speculations over an end to the uneasy alliance between JD (S) and BJP in Karnataka escalated yesterday with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda calling on Governor T N Chaturvedi for the second time in the last two days, but his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy promised to keep his word to the BJP on transfer of power at the end of his 20-month reign in October this year.

Gowda, who is continuing his tirade against the BJP, created ripples in the political circles calling on the Governor late in Bangalore late on Tuesday evening and returning to the Raj Bhavan again on Wednesday morning. Though JD (S) spokesperson Y S V Datta described Gowda’s visit as “courtesy call”, the JD (S) supremo’s two visits to the Raj Bhavan in quick succession added grist to the rumours that the rug from underneath BJP’s feet could well be pulled.

But, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy sought to end the raging speculation by claiming that he will not “betray” the BJP. “I will keep my word on the transfer of power to the BJP”, Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bangalore yesterday.

The Congress party, on its part, made it clear that there was no proposal before the party to revive its alliance with the JD (S). Though former Chief Minister Dharam Singh did not rule out the Congress party’s support to the JD (S) if it snapped its ties with the BJP, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President M Mallikarjun Kharge and former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah preferred mid-term elections to an alliance with the JD (S).

Meanwhile, the BJP entered into a damage-control mode to save its coalition with the JD (S). BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa convened a press conference to make it clear that the party will stick to the common minimum programme of the coalition Government.

When his attention was drawn to Gowda’s criticism of the BJP, Yediyurappa said a co-ordination committee meeting of the coalition partners will soon be convened to sort out the differences. “The BJP has never crossed the line and we will not do so even in future”, Yediyurappa sought to clarify and agreed to take Gowda’s statements as “advice” of an elderly statesman.

However, Gowda, hours before proceeding to the Raj Bhavan, had accused the BJP of not sticking to the coalition spirit. He said the BJP was neither co-operating in the matter of bringing the programmes of the Government to its logical end nor was it respecting the orders passed by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Expressing his displeasure with the BJP for taking out a Vikas Yatra, Gowda said the BJP was furthering its own agenda. Referring to Yediyurappa’s financial allocations to religious institutions, Gowda said Government money belonged to the tax-payers and the same should be used for the welfare of the people. “It cannot be given away in charity to religious institutions”, Gowda told reporters.
However, he said it was not his intention to pull down the coalition. But, the coalition was assuming elements of instability on its own, Gowda said.