BENGALURU: Rewind to the end of 2017, a few months before the assembly elections of 2018. The Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) and the Congress, soon to be allies, were busy attacking each other during their campaigns, especially in the old Mysore region.
Both parties couldn’t have known what the future held in store for them. Siddaramaiah, having finished a complete term, was confident of the Congress coming to power again while the JDS put up GT Devegowda, to defeat him in Chamundeshwari.
A few months later, there were many bitter pills swallowed when the coalition was formed to keep the BJP out of power. With such a foundation, the current crisis should not come as a surprise. The coalition,
having faced several attempts at destabilisation in the past one year, now faces its toughest test.
Fundamentally, sources say, the issue is one of the rank and file of the parties viewing the coalition as a threat to their personal careers. The JDS and Congress are not natural partners according to them and at the grassroots level, the rivalry remains.
Added to this basic issue is the demands of various senior politicians not being met as well as a clash of egos. Ramalinga Reddy feels marginalised, AH Vishwanath could not secure a place in the coordination committee despite several attempts and finally, the alleged interference of the JDS first family is what led to the rebellion, sources say.
For the BJP, waiting on the sidelines to attempt a takeover, the full-blown rebellion was a godsend which the party grabbed with both hands. Being the single largest party and still being unable to keep power, besides the good performance of the Congress in the local body polls, made the BJP jittery and the current situation was just too good to not take advantage of.
Political analysts peg the present turmoil as just part of the normal instability that coalition governments suffer from. According to Professor Muzaffar Assadi, the coalition government would have collapsed on the first day itself if not for the anti-defection law. The upcoming trust vote according to him, would probably be the last such attempt, given the larger implications the move would have, he said.
“The solution to bring in stability could be working out a formula where a majority of the legislators get an opportunity to become ministers. There should be a reshuffle every year with a new set of ministers taking over on rotation basis,” he opined.
Others chose instead to put the onus on the electorate. “If the electorate holds the public representatives responsible, then they will not dare to spend time in resorts while the state is reeling under drought,” said Professor Rajaram Tholpadi, who taught political science in Mangalore University.“Governments become more susceptible to such threats when the partners lack social chemistry and identity politics takes lead,” he said.