MYSURU: It is ‘now or never’ for the Congress to settle its score against the BJP for pulling down the coalition government. The party was pushed into an awkward position when 12 of its MLAs resigned to make way for the BJP to form the government. State Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao pressed for stringent laws against defectors and urged the BJP to exhibit its moral stance by denying tickets to the disqualified MLAs.
But there are too many challenges not only for the party but also for Siddaramaiah. The bypolls are a great opportunity for the Congress to bury its differences, shed ego, pool in resources and put up a united show to upset the BJP’s apple cart. For Siddaramaiah, it is a litmus test as failure in the bypolls would turn the murmurs against him into louder voices in the party.
The party high command which has reposed its faith in him may look beyond his leadership.Congress spokesperson and former MP R Druvanarayan said the party would put up a united show to win all the 15 seats. He said Congress is the only party that can take on the BJP.
This is the right time for the Congress to take advantage of the resentment in the BJP against the Yediyurappa leadership. The BJP is also facing anti-incumbency — it has come under attack for the slow pace of flood relief works in North Karnataka. The saffron party may have to contend with resentment and rebellion as it wants to field the disqualified MLAs on its symbol in the byelections, neglecting the local leaders.
The Congress knows that the bypolls are crucial for the BJP to get a majority on its own and may go all out to stop it.Political commentator Prof Harish Ramaswamy observed that the crisis in Congress with differences between Siddaramaiah and others, old and new guards can be settled if the party does well in the bypolls.