Karnataka Council Chairman election reignites North-South fight
BENGALURU: Congress’ decision to drop senior party leader and MLC S R Patil as its candidate for Legislative Council Chairman’s post has left many within the party red-faced, reigniting the “North Karnataka versus South Karnataka” row. After pro-tem Chairman and JD(S) strongman, Basavraj Horatti was forced to relinquish the Chair to make way for newly elected Pratap Chandra Shetty of Congress, legislators of JD(S) too are miffed with the party leadership.
While Congress legislators, especially those from North Karnataka and the Lingayat community, are seeing red over lack of representation in constitutional posts for the region and community, JD(S) MLAs and MLCs are disappointed over HD Devegowda’s decision to give up Chairmanship, which according to the coalition power-sharing agreement should have been with JD(S).
With Shetty’s election, the chairman, leader of opposition and leader of the floor in the legislative council; all hail from Coastal Karnataka. “This is like Karnataka Karavali Council,” mocked a legislator of the Congress expressing disappointment over North Karnataka being sidelined. “Out of 41 MLAs in North Karnataka, only five are ministers whereas out of 36 MLAs in south Karnataka there are nine ministers. This imbalance needs to be set right,” said M B Patil.
“Prominent leaders of North Karnataka were sidelined at a time when the session is being held in North Karnataka. Vested interests who wanted to ensure that injustice is meted out to North Karnataka used SR Patil’s name to force Horatti out and sidelined Patil too,” complained a Congress legislator who did not wish to be named.
Leaders of JD(S) too acknowledge that H D Devegowda’s push for Shetty cost the party a golden opportunity to shake off its ‘Anti North Karnataka’ and ‘anti- Lingayat’ tag. “Siddaramaiah made a big mistake in taking a vacation. The twist in tale would not have taken place had he been in the state,” pointed a JD(S) leader suggesting that Siddaramaiah’s absence fueled the collusion of leaders from both parties who wanted to send across a message to him.
A disappointed Horatti, while highlighting the injustice being meted out to North Karnataka as far as representation is concerned, also referred to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy as a “rubber stamp CM” for letting the Congress keep the council Chairman post.
Congress leaders are in agreement with Horatti, as far as lack of representation for North Karnataka is concerned. “Deliberate attempt to stall leaders of North Karnataka is becoming evident and people are running out of patience. One should not be surprised if the repercussions of this are felt in the Lok Sabha too,” said another Congress legislator.
The leader pointed out how not just inside the house but Chiefs of BJP, JD(S) and BJP were also not from North Karnataka.
With ministerial aspirants, especially from North Karnataka, sceptical about the cabinet expansion, Congress’ decision to pick Shetty over Patil has reignited the anger of many within the party.