Congress has romped home by winning both Bangalore(Rural) and Mandya Lok Sabha
seats in Karnataka in the recently held by-elections dealing a severe blkow to
the Janatha Dal(Secular) candidates. Both of these seats were the sitting seats
of the latter. While it was Anitha Kumaraswamy, wife of Kumaraswamy, President
of Karnataka State Janatha Dal(Secular) was defeated in Bangalore(Rural) seat, Janatha
Dal leader Puttappa had tasted defeat in Mandya seat. Moreover, both the seats
were the strongholds of Vokkalinga community who were the backbone of Janatha
Dal(Secular). Whereas the party had won this seat with a majority of 1.3 lakhs
votes during the last elections, this time it has lost the same seat to the
Congress by a margin of 1.37 lakhs.Similarly, out of 8 assembly segments in
Mandya Lok Sabha seat, 5 seats are held by Janatha Dal where Janatha Dal
candidate lost the election by a margin of 67,611 votes to a politiical novice
whol happens to be a film actress who joined politics very recently. With loss
of these 2 seats, the Janatha Dal(Secular) has become a one-MP party in the Lok
Sabha.
Why did the Janatha Dal(Secular) lose the elections? Let us
examine as to what are the reasons that have led to the defeats of their
candidates. That is to say, there are 3 reasons for the same.
The first reason is the act of Janatha Dal(Secular) to seek
the support of communal parties like BJP and KJP formed by former Chief
Minister Yediyoorappa with a view to win the seats either by hook or by crook.
When the news regarding discussion on forging alliance with BJP had come out,
Janatha Dal(Secular) leader HD Devagouda Had issued a statement denying any
such thing. However, many BJP leaders confirmed about such a discussion to
forge an alliance with them. Subsequently, when many a BJP leader had openly
campaigned for the Janatha Dal(Secular) candidates Devagowda stood exposed and
the party had become a laughing stock in the eyes of the public.. In
consequence, the party has lost the support of minority community who were
their strong supporters who have vogted enbloc for the Congress candidates.
The second reason for the defeat is Janatha Dal leader
Srinivas’s comments in a publc meeting about the parenbtage of Ramya, the film
actress who was the Congress candidate for Mandya and his describing her as a
Test Tube Baby. Needless to state, the Congress party lost no time in making
this issue the most important issue in the campaign and was able to create
public sympathy towards Ramya much to the discomfiture of Janatha Dal(Secular)
On sensing the public mood Janatha Dal leader Srinivas regretted his comments
but to no avail. When othe issue became hotter and hotter day by day, Anitha
Kumaraswamy herself had to tender apology to Ramya publicly on the issue; which
also could not cut much ice with the public as is evident from the outcome of
the elections.
The third reason for the defeat is the dislike of Janatha Dal
su;pporters at the family rule of Devagowda clan in Janatha Dal(Secular)’s
affairsThe said feeling was centred around the system wherein important
positons in the party are possessed by members of Gowda family.The fact that
Anitha Kuamaraswamy, wife of Kumaraswamy, President of State Janatha Dal has
been defeated in their stronghold itself bears ample testimony for the same.
As is the normal practice, in any Lok Sabha elections, it is
the national issues which dominate the campaigning and which are mainly
discussed and local issues are come secondary. Nevertheless, during these
by-elections, it was interesting to observe that none of the national issues
like several corruption cases concernng Central Government, rise in price of
diesel were not raised or discussed and only the above referred local issues
dominatfed the campaigning.
.
It needs special mention here that soon after Siddaramaiah
Government had assumed office, the government had increased bus fare by
15%. Also they did not take any action
to check the spiralling prices of essential commodities with a view to mitigate
the sufferings of the people. However, with an eye on the by-elections, on the
eve of the same the government had implemented ‘One-rupee Rice Scheme’ wherein
30 kgs of rice were given per month to those families who are below poverty
line at Re.1 per kg. In addition a milk scheme for school children which
oensures supply of milk thrce a week was also followed. Tghere is no denying
the fact that these actions helped the Congress to win the support of a good
sections of the people.
On coming to know of the poor showing of Janatha Dal(Secular)
candidates in gthese electiolns, Janatha Dal(Secular) leader Devagowda had disclosed
that even though hed was dead against aligning with communal pareties like BJP
and KJP, it was at the behest of Kumaraswamy and some other leaders that the
alliance was forged.
When we refer to the alliance forged with BJP and KJP in the
recent by-elections, it is only pertinent to state that igt was thaks to HD Kumaraswamy
that BJP who had just 2 MLAs in Karnataka could transform itself into a major political
force in the state. To elucidate, a few years ago in the assembly electiolns no
single party could muster majority. At
that juncture, Kumaraswamy had reached an understanding with BJP leader
Yediyoorappa which envisage ed sharing of power for 2 ½ years each between the
two parties. As per the understanding in the former half of 2 ½ Janatha Dal(Secular)
nominee woud be the Chief Minister and on aexpiry of that period, he will
resign and ;pave way for BJP nominee to become Chief Minister. Accordingly,
Kumaraswamy had assumed charge as Chief Mnbiister. Nevertheless, on expiry of 2
½ years period, he refused to step down and pave way for BJP leader Yediyoorappa
to become Chief Minister, who waitng in the wings.
When gthe assembly elections were held subsequently, BJP made
the issue of “cheating and breach of trust” on the part of Kumaraswamy as the
main plant of their campaign. Consequently, a good chunk of Janatha
Dal(Secular) supporters had left the party to join BJP. Needless to state, BJP
had succeeded in creating a sympathy wave in ts favour on the issue and secured
a near majority in the elections. After the elections they had cobbled the Government
through defections from opposition parties.
In the recent by-elections had Janatha Dal (Secular) fought
the elections by avoiding alliance with BJP and KJP and instead in alliance
with left parties, they would not have faced the present fate. However, with a view
to retaining bolth the seats at any cost they had sought the alliance with BJP
and KJP and in the process has lost tgheir image as a secular party. It was sheer
lack of confidence which was reflected in these elections.
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