Speculations over revival of Congress-JD (S) alliance in Karnataka

Former Prime Minister and JD (S) supremo H D Deve Gowda’s growing discomfiture with the party’s alliance with the BJP in Karnataka and Congress party’s apparent readiness to revive its tie-up with the JD (S) have triggerred speculation over a fresh political realignment in the State, barely five months before BJP’s B S Yediyurappa is scheduled to don the Chief Minister’s mantle.

With Gowda continuing to hit out the BJP, former Chief Minister N Dharam Singh virtually offered the Congress party’s support to the JD (S) to keep the “communal” BJP at bay. “To prevent the BJP, we have to become one in Karnataka. Any possibility may arise now”, Singh told reporters in Bellary.

Singh, who led the Congress-JD (S) coalition Government before he was unseated in February 2006 by a JD (S)-BJP alliance, created ripples in Karnataka politics by claiming that the “secular” alliance could be revived after the outcome of the Uttar Pradesh elections. “There will be a realignment of political forces both at the national level and state level”, Singh said. However, the former Chief Minister said the ultimate decision would lie with the Congress High Command.

Gowda, who holds the key to the future of the JD (S)-BJP power-sharing pact has always been critical of the BJP. Gowda has not only asked his Chief Minister son H D Kumaraswamy to come out of the coalition, but also claimed that the post of the Chief Minister had turned out to be a “curse” to his son. He has also warned the BJP, umpteen number of times, not to cross the “Lakshman Rekha” of the common minimum programme if it wished for a smooth transfer of power from the JD (S) to BJP during October this year.

Kumaraswamy himself has added grist to the mills by refusing to rule out a change in the political alignment. “Politics is not still water. It is constantly running. I can’t say what changes will take place and when. Maybe that is why Dharam Singh has made the statement”, said the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had denied that the coalition is in trouble. However, he air-dashed to New Delhi, lending credence to the speculation that all is now well in the coalition.

But, BJP’s spokesperson Suresh Kumar told reporters that the Congress was “desperately” trying to drive a wedge between the coalition partners. “We have no differences with the JD (S) and we will complete the full term”, he added,