An ex-PM and a PM-aspirant make a slow start in the heat

BENGALURU: It was a local event with a national billing. One former Prime Minister from the state, and one who is staking a claim for the first time, whose mother and grandmother had both once contested from Karnataka. One, an octogenarian, one still youthful at 48. One former and one incumbent CM. It was the rest of the package that went a bit awry at BIEC ground in Nelamangala, near Bengaluru, on Sunday.

The Congress and the JD(S) had hoped to amass a 5lakh-strong crowd to match the line-up of A-listers on the dais. The idea was to enthuse rebellious party workers on either side to fall in line with the spirit of the alliance. But the joint rally by the shaky ruling alliance partners in Karnataka fell short on quite a few things — a delayed schedule, hurried speeches and a scorching sun testing the patience of the estimated one lakh who had gathered.    

For the first time after H D Kumaraswamy’s swearing-in ceremony in 2018, presidents of both parties — H D Deve Gowda and Rahul Gandhi — shared a stage in Karnataka. While the idea of the rally was to kick-start a joint campaign, the larger intention was to send a message out to party workers that working for and with each other was an absolute necessity.

“I want to tell all workers and leaders of the Congress that they have to help JD(S) candidates and JD(S) workers have to help Congress candidates. The aim of both parties is to defeat Narendra Modi and the BJP,” is how Rahul Gandhi began his speech after apologising for the delay.

Both leaders took turns to appeal to their grassroots workers and district leaders to work together.
“I was pained that Modi said it was a ‘Maha Milavat’ that leaders of 21 regional parties decided to join hands with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. We will work together. We will go to the people and expose Modi. Let us stand with the Congress and add strength to Rahul,” said Gowda in his eight-minute speech.

The attempt at a show of unity by the two leaders comes at a time the grassroots workers of Congress have rebelled against working for JD(S) candidates in Mandya, Tumkur and Hassan and JD(S) workers have threatened to dent the Congress’ prospects in Mysore seat. Amid fears of the rebellion threatening the very existence of the Congress-JD(S) coalition, Gowda suggested a joint rally to convey to the workers that unity was a priority going into polls.

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“Our aim is to defeat the BJP and we have set our difference aside. When our democracy is under threat, people have always rebelled. It is my belief that people will rebel now too,” said Siddaramaiah, Coordination Committee chairperson.

The Chief Minister seized the opportunity to attack BJP, which has extended support to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh contesting against his son. “Prime Minister Modi is a perpetual liar. He did not waive farmers loans. Nor did he speak to a single farmer even when thousands from Tamil Nadu protested in New Delhi. But as polls drew closer, he announced the Kisan Samman scheme. We have sent details of 10 lakh farmers to avail the benefit but the Modi government has released just Rs 2,000 to six families,” he said.The rally concluded with Rahul, Gowda and leaders of both parties huddling up for a quick meeting.