BENGALURU: In a victory that surpassed even its own expectations, the BJP in Karnataka bagged 25 of the 27 Lok Sabha seats it contested. The saffron party decimated the joint might of the Congress-JDS coalition, reducing it to a mere one seat each — Bangalore Rural and Hassan.
The results are bound to have repercussions on the coalition government in Karnataka, and the domino effect is already being felt with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy calling for an ‘informal’ meeting of all cabinet colleagues on Friday.
The huge mandate in favour of the BJP has swept away bigwigs of the Congress and JDS, including Mallikarjun Kharge, M Veerappa Moily, K H Muniyappa and H D Deve Gowda, in an unprecedented manner. What is expected to follow is a big change in dynamics, and possible change in leadership status in state politics.
It is not just the number of seats that the BJP picked up, but the manner in which it did, which is expected to impact the coalition in Karnataka. BJP’s Anant Kumar Hegde won with a thumping margin of 4,79,649 votes, Shobha Karandlaje’s victory margin stood at 3,49,599, while debutante Tejasvi Surya recorded a victory margin of 3,31,192, even beating his predecessor H N Ananth Kumar’s victory margin of 2014.
Despite investing all his might, Kumaraswamy could not ensure his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s victory in Mandya. BJP-backed Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh created a record, becoming the first Independent candidate to be elected from Karnataka in over five decades, and won with a margin of 1,25,876 votes from Mandya, the seat touted to be make-or-break for the coalition.
“The impact of the results will put pressure on the government. They (coalition) can either choose not to do anything and force the BJP to topple the government, or the leadership could simply, given their performance, think it best to create a condition for fresh elections and go for it,” felt Prof Narendar Pani, political analyst and researcher. He added that pulling the government down may not be of any use to both parties. He also doesn’t believe that there could be a change in status quo.
Congress leaders, however, do not think so. That there is going to be a change in working dynamics was evident way before the results trickled in. Congress was hopeful of being more authoritative, but given its abysmal performance, that plan could well be a non-starter now.
“If Congress loses more seats than it had won in 2014, we will squarely hold JDS responsible for it,” a Congress leader had claimed before the results came in. Now, the party has no standing to blame the JDS.
Given this scenario, party insiders suggest that a change of leadership within the coalition is being considered, to at least save the government.
“Parameshwara as chief minister and H D Revanna as deputy chief minister is being considered,” a Congress source said.
The move to make Parameshwara as Chief Minister and H D Revanna as Deputy Chief Minister is aimed at keeping the coalition together, with caste equations intact, leaving very little space for rebellion. “These are Lok Sabha elections and have no bearing whatsoever on the state government and its stability. However, Kumaraswamy has called for a meeting of ministers tomorrow and this will also be discussed,” Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara told reporters on Thursday.
The informal meeting of cabinet colleagues is scheduled for 12.30 pm and the JDS legislature party meet at 1pm on Friday. The time schedule of both events makes it evident that what is in store is more an announcement than a meeting with Congress leaders.
“We will sit tight for one week. Once the government at the Centre is settled in, we will do what is required here. This time, there will be no haste,” said a BJP leader, suggesting that a plan is already in place. With Chincholi added to its kitty, the BJP has taken its tally to 105 in Karnataka. With the Congress currently in shock, with its tallest leader biting the dust, Friday’s meeting is set to chart a new course in state politics.