Political developments within the Congress on Monday seem to have made its coalition partner Janata Dal (Secular) also jittery as the Bharatiya Janata Party is believed to have made a covert bid to woo its legislators from its traditional base in Old Mysore region.
Though several legislators and leaders whom The Hindu spoke to downplayed the development and exuded confidence about the survival of the coalition government, sources close to a senior Minister from the Cauvery basin said the BJP continued to make serious attempts to poach JD(S) legislators from its bastion this time. “Developments over the next few days are crucial,” said a legislator.
Many contacted
At least eight JD(S) legislators, according to sources, have been contacted by two BJP leaders, who have taken turns to camp in Mysuru over the last two weeks. “If not all, about three to four legislators are expected to switch sides in the coming days. It also depends on the momentum that could gather after the resignations of the two Congress legislators on Monday,” sources claimed.
It is learnt that while the JD(S) legislators expected more funds for development works in their constituencies after their party came to power, they have remained disappointed as the Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy-led government has not released enough funds to them. “Some also have personal issues that are forcing them to think of shifting sides,” said sources.
In fact, an indicator of trouble brewing in the party came to the fore when party workers at a meeting here on Sunday sought appointments to boards and corporations, forcing former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda to abruptly call off the meeting. Sources said that the Chief Minister had an inkling of the possible moves of some of these legislators before he set out to the U.S. “Things were brewing when he left and he had full knowledge of it. However, his aides convinced him to travel citing none of the legislators were in a position to face another election and there was no possibility of the legislators deserting the party. He was also convinced that there was no immediate threat to the government,” sources said.
Plan change unlikely
Party sources indicated that despite Monday’s developments, the Chief Minister is unlikely to change his scheduled plan to return by the night of July 4.
Meanwhile, sources close to Mr. Deve Gowda also exuded confidence that there was no threat to the government and indicated that they had nothing to do with the trouble brewing in the Congress. “In fact, Mr. Gowda remained at his residence the whole day and later visited an acquaintance in hospital. He did not even hold meetings with party leaders,” said a leader.