BENGALURU: Does the Basavaraj Bommai cabinet have a Deve Gowda touch? The overall constitution of Vokkaligas in the ministry could be a pointer to a tactical understanding between the BJP and JDS. While seven Vokkaligas have been included in the cabinet, the legislators who could be a thorn in the JDS flesh have been excluded.
Hassan MLA Preetham Gowda, the lone BJP legislator in a territory fiercely guarded by the JDS -- which has a say in political positions here -- has been left out. Preetham Gowda was recognised for his role in the recent Sira and KR Pet bypolls.
There are more such examples: MLC CP Yogeeshwara, who was breathing fire against the JDS in its stronghold Ramanagara, has been excluded. Kuruba leader MTB Nagaraj has been given charge of Bangalore Rural, a Vokkaliga bastion. In Mysuru and other Vokkaliga-dominated districts, there is an obvious attempt not to encourage leaders from this denomination and upset the JDS, a largely Vokkaliga party.
That the BJP does not want to antagonise the JDS for now is obvious -- there have been back-channel talks as well as public meetings between leaders of the two parties, with JDS patriarch H D Deve Gowda in focus. JDS leader MLA Bandeppa Kashempur and MP Prajwal Revanna were with BJP leaders for four days in New Delhi, when the change of leadership was in progress. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called Gowda after he returned from Delhi a few days ago, and more recently, Gowda visited Union minister Nitin Gadkari just a day before the cabinet formation.
The Vokkaliga turf has been the BJP’s biggest weakness: In 2008, the party won 110 seats, and in 2018, it won 104 seats, but could not break into this region. Even when the Modi wave was raging in 2019, the BJP could not win the Vokkaliga strongholds of Mandya, Hassan and Bangalore Rural, and is still treading cautiously here. As political analyst B S Murthy put it, “In its larger interest, the BJP has decided to ensure the JDS retains its base, so that the Congress can be kept in check.’’