‘They are emotionally blackmailing the BJP by claiming that they will form an alliance with the Congress for mayoral poll’
BBMP workers repairing Sheshadri Road in Bengaluru on Sunday. (Photo: KPN)
Bengaluru: Knowing fully well that the alliance between the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) to grab power at the BBMP would not last long, senior BJP leaders have advised former deputy chief minister R. Ashok, who managed the city elections, not to go out of the way to seek support from the JD(S) to form the BBMP council.
A former chief minister from the BJP told Deccan Chronicle that there is no need to prostate before the JD(S), which has won only 14 seats. The JD(S) leaders are emotionally blackmailing the BJP by claiming that they would form an alliance with the Congress, with the full understanding that the tie-up would not last long, as there is opposition from within the Congress.
State Janata Dal(Secular) president H.D. Kumaraswamy and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar have openly fought on various issues on the floor of the Assembly. “Will they work together for the next five years is the million dollar question. Fissures are bound to develop within a month or two of the mayoral polls,” he said.
There is no direction from the BJP high command to form an alliance with the JD(S) as it has been left to the state leaders. Even BJP national president Amit Shah has not called up state leaders to know about swift political developments as he is busy with preparations for the coming Assembly polls in Bihar.
Even if the Congress manages to bag the mayor’s post with the help of JD(S), independents, Congress legislators and Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, it would not help as the 100 BJP members would have a say.
The BJP would show its 'real strength' while passing important resolutions in general body meetings of the BBMP as the Congress, JD(S) and independents together will still fall three short of majority. The people of Bengaluru will not pardon if the Congress, with 76 members under its belt, resorts to such unethical practices to rule the BBMP. Six independent councillors may have gone with the Congress, but they would return to the BJP after sometime, he said.
He said that if the BJP fails to come to power in the BBMP, there are possibilities of the Congress poaching BJP councillors. Several councillors want power and they would be disillusioned if they have to sit in the opposition, despite emerging as the single largest party. This fear is constantly haunting the state BJP leaders.
The leader admitted that overconfidence of some city leaders paved way for the Congress to throw its hat into the ring. “On the day the results were announced, city BJP leaders should have initiated a dialogue with Mr Kumaraswamy to cement their bond. Instead, they issued statements against JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his son Kumaraswamy. Naturally, the JD(S) would look at the Congress to teach the saffron party a lesson. Because of the fault of a few city leaders, senior leaders from the party have to knock on the doors of JD(S) leaders seeking support,” he said.
Meanwhile, state BJP president Pralhad Joshi criticised the Congress for its 'back door entry' politics and exuded confidence that the BJP would come to power in the BBMP.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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