Sidda to face Gowda duo for post-poll alliance, Yeddy sidelined over Lingayat votes
Contrary to what the initial trends in the Karnataka poll verdict pointed to, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) combine as well as the BJP both now have equal claim to forming a government. However, the man on whom all eyes were glued to in the run-up to the elections could end up being the heaviest loser: the state's outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
From what it looks like now, the fiery satrap, who led a formidable defence against the onslaught of the BJP's election machinery, could be facing the nightmares of his past — a long-standing feud with the father-son Gowda duo.
Sources in the Congress said that the JD(S) supremo and former prime minister Deve Gowda and his son, former CM HD Kumaraswamy have univocally demanded that apart from the fullterm position of the chief minister, another demand is that the outgoing CM should not be given any key portfolios. This could very well mean that Siddaramaiah remains just a MLA.
What has also not worked in his favour is that key leaders from his camp, including HC Mahadevappa and H Anjaneya, have also lost. Party insiders said that the infighting within the state unit's leaders have now spilled out in support of the demand from the Gowda duo. Contrary to that stands the big win margins of traditional leaders like Dinesh Gundu Rao, Priyank Kharge, Ramalinga Reddy, as well as DK Shivakumar.
Siddaramaiah losing from Chamundeshwari has also made matters worse for him. In fact, party leader DK Shivakumar had even told reporters in Karnataka that the CM's decision to contest from two seats, Badami and Chamundeshwari, was an ill-thought one, and that the CM had gone ahead even when he was advised not to.
A party leader close to Siddaramaiah told DNA that the leader is now looking forward to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. There's also a likelihood that the leader may be moved to the party's headquarters, but in that case he will be made to prove his mettle in the states 25 parliamentary seats.
The fates of two of the state's tallest political leaders — HD Kumaraswamy and BS Yedyurappa — now hang precariously intertwined to the other. If the Congress-JD(S) combine manage to form the government with Kumaraswamy at the helm, then the former chief minister will have another go at the top job, reinstating the importance of the Gowdas in Karnataka's politics. If the combine fails to do so, however, the former CM might be reduced in stature within the state.
On the other hand, the last few days has not been particularly easy for Yeddyurappa, who was sidelined within his own party despite the consolidation of the Lingayat votebank. His son BY Raghavendra and close aide, MP Shobha Karandlaje, were denied tickets.
TANGLED TOGETHER
- JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy have univocally demanded that apart from the fullterm position of the chief minister, the outgoing CM should not be given any key portfolios.
- On the other hand, the fates of two of the state’s tallest political leaders — HD Kumaraswamy and BS Yedyurappa — now hang precariously intertwined to the other as the Governor takes the call on who gets to form the government.
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 "Outgoing Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy")
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