01-21-2006, 12:21 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Dharam mulls exit route
Pioneer.com
PT Bopanna / Bangalore
Even as Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh on Friday hinted that he could step down before the January 27 deadline given to prove his majority, rebel Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy made it clear that there was no going back on his decision to align with the BJP to form a coalition Government.
Two days after Mr Kumaraswamy reduced his government to a minority, Mr Dharam Singh showed signs that he could step down sooner than later. He stated: "I have an option to exit. I cannot take individual decisions. I have to wait for the high command's permission." He added that the high command had not given him any direction so far.
Known for his affable nature, Mr Dharam Singh showed his anger at the 'upstart' Kumaraswamy and accused him of indulging in horse-trading by "taking away the MLAs to toe his line to destabilise the coalition government." He ruled out any negotiations with Mr Kumaraswamy who had given him sleepless nights for the last couple of days.
Mr Deve Gowda, who is said to be the man who jolted the lady of 10 Janpath, by pulling the rug from under her feet, <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> looked upon the unfolding drama from the sidelines, and gave enough hints that he was not going to spoil his son's party.
In an interesting insight, Mr Deve Gowda's associates are believed to have pointed out that the division of the loaves and fishes of office have so far not been equitable.
They have apparently asked Congress emissaries to accept Mr Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister and also ensure that the spoils of office are equitably distributed with retrospective effect. In return, they have promised to put pressure on Mr Kumaraswamy to change his stand only if the Congress agrees to the deal.
"We cannot be expected to live on love and fresh air alone in the name of secularism while Congress leaders go around with bloated pot-bellies," sources said.
Assuming that the whole plot was masterminded by Mr Kumaraswamy, if Mr Gowda wanted to stop his son from going ahead with his plans, he could have put many hurdles in the way. He could have asked the leader of the official JD (S) in the Assembly MP Prakash to issue a whip to the party members to vote for the Congress-JD (S) coalition in the confidence motion in the Assembly.
Making it clear that the decision to distance from the Congress and join the saffron brigade was his own decision, Mr Kumaraswamy remarked: "I have not betrayed my father. Actually at his juncture in Karnataka, the Congress people are using secular sentiments to destroy our party."
Hitting out at the Congress for the turn of events, he said: "<b>For the past 20 months, they humiliated our party workers, MLAs and even our ministers, and even the Chief Minister had changed the orders taken by JD (S) ministers."</b>
Rejecting the charge that the entire operation to break away from the coalition was masterminded by his father, Mr Kumaraswamy said: "I have not met my father for the last one week, not even spoken to him over phone. At this moment all my MLAs are forcing me not to discuss anything with our senior leaders, including my father, lest through some sentiment, again he will force us to support Congress. My MLAs are surrounding me and not giving me permission to talk to my father." Meanwhile, the JD (S) headed by Mr Gowda postponed the convention of party workers slated for January 23.
Mr Gowda, meanwhile, held consultations with Deputy Chief Minister Prakash, Finance Minister PGR Sindhia, and senior leader M Rajashekhara Murthy and debated on whether to continue with the Congress led coalition, opt for a parallel government formation or face mid-term election to the State Assembly. "No decision was taken at the meeting," Mr Prakash said. However, Mr Sindhia stated the party was firm on not aligning with the <b>BJP or the RSS</b>. Mr Sindhia noted the JD (S) did not contemplate any disciplinary action against Mr Kumaraswamy. "At this stage, actions of Kumaraswamy cannot be viewed as indiscipline. He has kept the MLAs to save the party and prevent horse-trading by the Congress," Mr Sindhia remarked.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Pioneer.com
PT Bopanna / Bangalore
Even as Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh on Friday hinted that he could step down before the January 27 deadline given to prove his majority, rebel Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy made it clear that there was no going back on his decision to align with the BJP to form a coalition Government.
Two days after Mr Kumaraswamy reduced his government to a minority, Mr Dharam Singh showed signs that he could step down sooner than later. He stated: "I have an option to exit. I cannot take individual decisions. I have to wait for the high command's permission." He added that the high command had not given him any direction so far.
Known for his affable nature, Mr Dharam Singh showed his anger at the 'upstart' Kumaraswamy and accused him of indulging in horse-trading by "taking away the MLAs to toe his line to destabilise the coalition government." He ruled out any negotiations with Mr Kumaraswamy who had given him sleepless nights for the last couple of days.
Mr Deve Gowda, who is said to be the man who jolted the lady of 10 Janpath, by pulling the rug from under her feet, <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> looked upon the unfolding drama from the sidelines, and gave enough hints that he was not going to spoil his son's party. In an interesting insight, Mr Deve Gowda's associates are believed to have pointed out that the division of the loaves and fishes of office have so far not been equitable.
They have apparently asked Congress emissaries to accept Mr Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister and also ensure that the spoils of office are equitably distributed with retrospective effect. In return, they have promised to put pressure on Mr Kumaraswamy to change his stand only if the Congress agrees to the deal.
"We cannot be expected to live on love and fresh air alone in the name of secularism while Congress leaders go around with bloated pot-bellies," sources said.
Assuming that the whole plot was masterminded by Mr Kumaraswamy, if Mr Gowda wanted to stop his son from going ahead with his plans, he could have put many hurdles in the way. He could have asked the leader of the official JD (S) in the Assembly MP Prakash to issue a whip to the party members to vote for the Congress-JD (S) coalition in the confidence motion in the Assembly.
Making it clear that the decision to distance from the Congress and join the saffron brigade was his own decision, Mr Kumaraswamy remarked: "I have not betrayed my father. Actually at his juncture in Karnataka, the Congress people are using secular sentiments to destroy our party."
Hitting out at the Congress for the turn of events, he said: "<b>For the past 20 months, they humiliated our party workers, MLAs and even our ministers, and even the Chief Minister had changed the orders taken by JD (S) ministers."</b>
Rejecting the charge that the entire operation to break away from the coalition was masterminded by his father, Mr Kumaraswamy said: "I have not met my father for the last one week, not even spoken to him over phone. At this moment all my MLAs are forcing me not to discuss anything with our senior leaders, including my father, lest through some sentiment, again he will force us to support Congress. My MLAs are surrounding me and not giving me permission to talk to my father." Meanwhile, the JD (S) headed by Mr Gowda postponed the convention of party workers slated for January 23.
Mr Gowda, meanwhile, held consultations with Deputy Chief Minister Prakash, Finance Minister PGR Sindhia, and senior leader M Rajashekhara Murthy and debated on whether to continue with the Congress led coalition, opt for a parallel government formation or face mid-term election to the State Assembly. "No decision was taken at the meeting," Mr Prakash said. However, Mr Sindhia stated the party was firm on not aligning with the <b>BJP or the RSS</b>. Mr Sindhia noted the JD (S) did not contemplate any disciplinary action against Mr Kumaraswamy. "At this stage, actions of Kumaraswamy cannot be viewed as indiscipline. He has kept the MLAs to save the party and prevent horse-trading by the Congress," Mr Sindhia remarked.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->