JOIN USA win-win situation for the Congress and the JD(S)
Which party benefited the most from the pact to run the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahagara Palike? The Congress or the JD(S)? The answer is both, though not equally. No doubt, the general impression is that JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda has had the last laugh.
The JD(S), which did not get the blessings of Bengalureans in the BBMP polls, has now got a footing in the Palike where all prime decisions regarding the City are taken.
Projects worth crores of rupees get cleared in minutes here. Probably Gowda, at this juncture, could not have asked for more. After all, the JD(S) has 14 corporators in a council of 198 members. Gowda had raised objections when his son H D Kumaraswamy had entered into a coalition agreement with the BJP to run the government at the State level in 2006. Gowda was concerned over losing the minorities’ votes. And his concerns were not unfounded.
If Gowda had not stepped in, probably his son would have again helped the BJP to continue to run the Palike. The JD(S) City MLAs stood by the former prime minister to ensure that their agenda as well as Gowda’s ploy worked. The experienced former legislators in both the parties could easily find ways of pocketing the Independent corporators.
Now, at least for the public consumption, Gowda can say he need not delete the word “secular’ attached to the JD(S). In the process, he has given the go-by to his party’s stated aim of maintaining equidistance from the Congress and BJP. Also, he has sent a message to the party workers across the State, who are demoralised, that all is not over for the party.
The City has 1/6th of the State’s population. The budget of the Palike is around Rs 7,000 crore. The State government keeps pumping in money to implement various projects of the Palike. The contractor mafia thrives here, thanks to Bengaluru MLAs and corporators. If the BJP was to control the Palike, then the Congress government would not have earned any credit despite sanctioning funds.
The Siddaramaiah government, which is not seen as Bengaluru-friendly, has got another chance to show its commitment, if it has any, to the State capital.
The Congress leaders are not sure how long the bonhomie between their party and Deve Gowda would last. Those who know the style of functioning of Gowda say the alliance would continue at least for a year, as there is no provision to move a no-confidence motion against the mayor.
Gowda is known for befriending chief ministers. Be it the late Devaraj Urs, R Gundu Rao or S R Bommai, the JD(S) patriarch had a good equation with them, and wielding influence over them for his advantage was never a task.
It is to be seen how he would deal with Siddaramaiah, a one-time JD(S) man. Anyway, the Congress high command would not displease Gowda. Kumaraswamy now has the task of continuing as an effective Opposition leader in the legislative Assembly. It is a tall task indeed, when his party has shaken hands with the ruling party.