At a time when the BJP is trying to consolidate the government and attempting to make inroads into the Vokkaliga heartland, the Janata Dal (S) leadership is now not only facing allegations of phone-tapping, but also saddled with the challenge of keeping its flock together.
Nearly half a dozen of its legislators have been contacted by BJP through a veteran Vokkliga leader, JD (S) sources said, adding that any manoeuvre to bring them into BJP fold would be after Supreme Court delivers its judgements on the petition filed by 17 Congress and JD (S) legislators.
While former Minister and JD (S) leader G.T. Deve Gowda is speculated to be moving closer to BJP, he told The Hindu on Monday that though he is “hurt” with the party leadership he is not ready to make any decision in the next “three and a half years.” On Tuesday, he met Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa at his residence in Bengaluru, but denied it was a political visit.
‘Mounting debts’
According to a senior JD(S) leader, some legislators are frustrated at the way in which the party president H.D. Deve Gowda’s family cornered important posts during the 14-month coalition regime, thus denying them power that had come after over a decade. “There are personal and financial problems with many legislators. Some of them had contested elections raising personal loans and now they are staring at mounting debts. ”
Another party legislator from North Karnataka also said that they were expecting a few legislators to leave the party, and that some of them now believe that they do not have a political future in the party.
Meanwhile, BJP sources said that though the party was keen on taking more legislators from the Opposition camp to bring stability to the government, it will also be selective. “First priority will be to accommodate the current set of rebels, which has become very difficult. If second round of resignations have to happen, it will be after the Supreme Court ruling and before the bypoll to 17 Assembly seats.”