Bangalore: Yeddy Closer to Striking Deal with Kumaraswami

Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Nov 4: At a time when the JDS state president, Kumaraswami, has been claiming that both the BJP factions have been in touch with him, and that the JDS is not interested in getting involved with the internal feud of the BJP, there are indications that Chief Minister (CM) Yeddyurappa has got an assurance from the party of its support in case some of the dissidents decide to part ways with the CM. The JDS, it is believed, will extend outside support to Yeddyurappa, to escape for being branded ‘power-hungry’.

Reliable sources said that Yeddyurappa has decided to stabilize the government with the support of the JDS, if the dissidents remain adamant in their stance and go against the high command decision by threatening to resign en masse. JDS MP, N Cheluvarayaswamy, MLAs Jamir Ahmed and Balakrishna, have already held consultations with the BJP faction led by Yeddyurappa.

Sources said that Yeddyurappa already has held a few rounds of discussions with Kumaraswami and that the JDS state president has assured the Chief Minister of extending help to stay afloat. This appears to be more of  a deal between people having common enemies, rather than any personal camaraderie. Kumaraswami has scores to settle against Janardan Reddy, who had kicked up a row over the former’s reported  demand for payment of higer bribes per truckload of ore.

JDS, it is learnt, is interested in encashing the situation, also to strengthen the party. By giving support to Yeddyurappa, the party hopes to get rid of the stigma of ‘breach of trust’ it had earned from the Veerashaivas, after failing to hand over power to Yeddyurappa, a Veerashaiva himself, as agreed earlier. Kumaraswami also feels, that by claiming that his party has decided to extend the support to ensure that the flood-affected people are not left high and dry, his party can reclaim the ground it had lost among the North Karnataka voters. By a single move, he hopes to earn the sympathies of Veerashaivas, who form a sizeable population in North Karntaka, and the flood-affected people, it is being analyzed.

Kumaraswami’s hopes of the future of Reddy camp getting bleaker, appears to realize, with the Andhra Pradesh government taking decisive steps against the mines and steel factory owned by the  Reddy brothers. He feels that this is the right time to strike.

However, the JDS, with its 27 MLAs, can hope to make winning moves, only if not more than 20 MLAs from the BJP resign. At present, the BJP has 117 MLAs in the 224-member assembly, and if the number of legislators leaving the BJP exceeds this 20 mark, it becomes harder to save the government, the camps have calculated.