While the past experience with the Janata Dal-Secular has ruled out a re-alliance as of now, it seems likely that the BJP may rely on the five independent candidates who have been elected on Sunday. The BJP top brass is already in touch with the five independent candidates to muster their support in order to form the first ever independent BJP government in south India.
Bharatiya Janata Party emerged on top with 32-42 out of the 66 seats, which went to polls in the second phase of Karnataka assembly elections on Friday followed by Congress (15-20) and Janata Dal-Secular (8-12), according to an exit poll by NDTV news channel. Others were expected to win around 2-4 seats, the exit poll said.
The fall of the Congress-led government through a political coup leading to a new Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition and the arrest of two Pakistani militants made 2006 an eventful year for Karnataka.
Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister M P Prakash passed away at a private hospital in Bangalore on Wednesday after a pro longed battle with cancer.
At present in Karnataka, if one takes a close look at the manner in which the tickets are being distributed it is clear that caste is being considered while handing out tickets. The Lingayats and the Vokkaligas have been dominant in Karnataka since time immemorial and the tussle for power between these two communities is no secret.
JD-S leaders are in constant touch with several candidates of both the Congress and the BJP and are hopeful that these candidates would agree to join their party. The Congress and the BJP have recently pocketed several JD-S candidates and now Deve Gowda's party has the opportunity to return the favour. To tackle the JD-S, the Congress is trying to delay the announcement of its final list, while the BJP is trying to downplay the widespread resentment among its party members.
The JD-S says that it will go all out to woo voters and will also send a strong message across, to explain that the party is not guilty of creating the biggest political turmoil in the state. While other political parties have already started canvassing, the JD-S has been taking its time. Its opponents, specially the BJP, claim that Deve Gowda's party was delaying its campaigning as it was scared to face the people after bringing two successive governments down.
While Prakash has hinted at leaving the JD-S in the past, party chief Deve Gowda seemed unaffected, sarcastically saying that anyone who wanted to join Prakash was welcome to do so.
Fresh after winning the second trust vote on Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Friday called for a cabinet meeting on October 18, where is expected to re-shuffle his state cabinet.
How the ambitions of Deve Gowda's third son Revanna nixed the BJP's first shot at power below the Vindyas.
Not only does the JDS want the BJP to adhere to the conditions, but also wants it to sign on a stamp paper in which the conditions are listed. Besides this, the JDS also wants a written assurance from the BJP on its letter head stating that it would abide by all the conditions.
A crucial meeting of the Janata Dal-Secular legislature party is scheduled to commence at 0900 hours where a final call will be taken whether to support the BJP or not. JDS supreme H D Deve Gowda has been authorised by his party to take the final decision.
It was a hectic day in the political circles of Bangalore on Sunday with a crucial JD-S legislature party meeting being followed by a meeting between Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and JD-S leader H D Kumaraswamy. The JDLP meeting decided to wait a few more hours to see whether the BJP will agree to its conditions. The BJP has already expressed its unwillingness to sign on the dotted line dictated by the JD-S.
When B S Yeddyurappa was sworn in as chief minister of the state, barely a week back, everyone in Karnataka heaved a sigh of relief thinking that the worst political crisis had finally come to an end. However that does not seem to be the case.
The ruling Congress posted a video along with a statement on social media platform X, criticising the Janata Dal-Secular leader and son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
The 12 conditions had been drawn up by JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda and given to BJP president Rajnath Singh while negotiations for the coalition were going on. Gowda had made it clear that his party will support the BJP in government formation only if all these conditions are fulfilled.
M P Prakash, the strongman of the JD-S, in an interview with rediff.com correspondent Vicky Nanjappa, bares his heart about the fate of Karnataka politics, the future of the JD-S and the influence of the Gowda clan on the entire political mess that Karnataka is in at present.
Cracks in the JD-S were evident when H D Revanna, who is the son of JD-S chief H D Deve Gowda did not go to Rashtrapathi Bhavan where both the JD-S and BJP MLAs were paraded before President Prathibha Patil.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur briefed Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
The three and half year old Achuthanandan cabinet is on the verge of expansion with three ministers getting into the ministry after taking the oath of office.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party sits in dharna, the Congress plans to go ahead with a rally to expose the Janata Dal-Secular and BJP, who they claim, have entered into an unholy alliance.
The Janata Dal - Secular on Monday released its first list of 64 candidates for the first phase of Assembly polls on May 10, nominating former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and his elder brother H D Revanna to contest again from Ramanagara and Holenarasipura seats, respectively. Former ministers who secured nominations include N Cheluvarayaswamy (Nagamangala), B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamarajpet) and H K Kumaraswamy (Sakleshpur-reserved).
The biggest loser in the ongoing political tug-of-war between the Janata Dal-Secular and the Bharatiya Janata Party will be the state of Karnataka, which has incurred a loss of $5 billion in terms of business investments. Market pundits say that the perennial political instability in the state and indecision by the government in the past one year has lead to the loss of investment opportunities.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday appeared to be warming up to the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that "a new chapter has to begin to control looters" as he targeted the Congress government alleging corruption.
The Karnataka High Court on Monday adjourned to September 9 hearing on an anticipatory bail plea by former chief minister in an alleged graft case.
As many as six Bihar legislators have been booked for violation of the provisions of model code of conduct, which had come into effect following announcement of the assembly polls schedule by the Election Commission on Monday last, official sources said on Friday.
In a hard-hitting interview to rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa Sadananda Gowda says the BJP will not settle for anything other than power.
Reacting to the charges made by the JD-S against the BJP in Thursday's convention, Yediyurappa said that he too had a long list of charges against the JD-S but would not like to discuss it now.
Most people feel that the JD-S should hand over power to the BJP as per their agreement, while some feel that if the relationship between the coalition partners has soured to this extent, the state should opt for mid-term elections.
In the midst of the all the drama that is taking place with regard to the transfer of power in Karnataka, one thing becomes clear and that is the Bharatiya Janata Party at the moment is in no mood for compromise.
In spite of the JD (S) flip-flopping on the issue of power transfer in Karnataka, its ally Bhartiya Janata Party is hopeful that the JD-S will keep its side of the bargain, party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
Janata Dal-Secular chief H D Deve Gowda on Thursday said that there is no question of him holding talks with senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in New Delhi on the transfer of power until the BJP in Karnataka sorted out its internal differences.
The Janata Dal-Secular said it will transfer power to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka only if it acts against Tourism Minister, B Sriramulu. The 2 parties formed the govt with an understanding Kumaraswamy will hand over power to BJP on Oct 3.
Here's how the prominent leaders in the fray in Karataka elections have performed.
Prakash had initially been in talks with the BJP, soon after he left the JD-S due to differences with party chief H D Deve Gowda. However due to differences in principles, Prakash decided to join the Congress party along with around ten other of his supporters.
Gowda had said that his party was ready to join the National Democratic Alliance provided the BJP permits H D Kumaraswamy to continue as chief minister for the next 20 months.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition ministry headed by H D Kumaraswamy in Karnataka was expanded Friday with the induction of 20 ministers.
The joint session of the assembly will start from Februay 24.
He had the support of 138 legislators in the 224-member House.
While some of the senior Congress leaders are sending feelers to the JD-S regarding power sharing in the seat, a host of other Congress legislators feel that any sort of alignment with the JD-S will spell doom in Karnataka.
