BENGALURU: As Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and his team celebrate 100 days in office on November 2, a day after Karnataka Rajyotsava, a nagging question hangs in the air —that of longevity of the government. It is a question the BJP has not been able to answer convincingly.
When he addresses the media on Thursday, this is the most likely question Yediyurappa will have to answer. It is especially critical because of former CM HD Kumaraswamy’s recent claim that the survival of the government is in his hands. Kumaraswamy, who has a way of drawing the spotlight on himself, in power or out of it, had told the media on Monday, “Whether this government continues in power for five years or not, is in my hands.”
Sources pointed out that this does not appear to be an empty boast, because no one in the BJP, which is otherwise quick to hit back, bothered to refute this claim. The BJP was very wary, with senior minister Jagadish Shettar giving a vague reply without responding to Kumaraswamy, “I don’t know what is on his mind.”
Analysts point out that the threat to this government is real, because after the bypolls on December 5, if the BJP does not have the numbers to run the government, it will need support from the JDS. “The telephone tapping issue, which was in the news for weeks, has now receded. There could be some truth in Kumaraswamy’s statement. Yediyurappa will have to come out with some convincing answers.”
Of the 15 seats going to bypolls, many are in areas which are non-BJP strongholds. Some are in ‘C category’ on the BJP’s reach and membership assessment standard — which means the party’s ‘booth unit’ is not very strong. Although Shettar and other leaders claim they have made solid preparations for the bypolls, a threat remains on the stability front.
Another question the CM may have to answer is Siddaramaiah’s claim that his “government is dead”. Although BSY may want to tom-tom his achievements after 100 days in power, he may just be left on a sticky wicket.
