Cong-JD(S) alliance: Love is easy, staying together is hard

Finally, the Congress-JD(S) alliance has formed the government in Karnataka. With the alliance ready to march ahead, DH explores a few possibilities that could affect the stability of the government.

1. In the Congress, there are people who dislike the JD(S) and vice-versa. So, the road ahead is not easy for both parties.

2. The caste game will always be at the forefront. The Congress is dominated by leaders from the SC/ST and OBC communities. The JD(S) identifies itself with the Vokkaliga community.

3. The Congress has a powerful first family and so does the JD(S).

4. The BJP, with 104 MLAs, is waiting for a chance to bring down the government.

5. The results of the Lok Sabha elections will leave an impact on the coalition. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi's NDA comes to power again, it will shake the confidence of the Congress-JD(S) government.

6. The Veerashaiva-Lingayat row will be another factor. The Congress government supported a separate religion status for Lingayats. People may continue agitating for and against it once again.

7. The publicity games of the Congress and the JD(S): Both parties have unleashed schemes to carve out an identity. Both parties will now fight to gain credit.

8. There can be rebellion inside both parties.

9. After two-and-half-years, the Congress may ask for the chief minister's post and history will repeat. (Kumaraswamy had denied offering the chief minister's post to Yeddyurappa in 2007, following which the government fell.)

10. Too much interference by the central Congress leaders

11. The Congress-JD(S) government may not get a lot of support from the Centre.

12. If the Congress-JD(S) alliance is not careful about implementing the Common Minimum Programme and the manifestos of both parties, it could create a rift in the alliance.

13. A 15-member co-ordination committee will be formed to deal with the issues and challenges that may arise later on. Siddaramiah's name was suggested for heading the committee but it's not clear if he will be accepted by both parties, especially by Deve Gowda.

14. The Congress's farm loan waiver policy and the JD(S) farm loan waiver policy are different. The Congress says that the state government will waive farmer loans from co-operative banks but the Centre should waive loans from nationalised banks. The JD(S), on the other hand, promised to waive loans from nationalised and co-operative banks. This could also be a factor that affects the government's stability.

15. Coalition governments are not successful in Karnataka. In the past, both coalition governments, Congress-JD(S) and BJP-JD(S), lasted for around 20 months.

16. There is a possibility of party workers at the ground level getting into ideological clashes.

17. The JD(S) may favour South Karnataka districts that are support bases when it comes to development.

18. The Congress is a national party but this time, the CM is from the JD(S), which is a regional party. This could cause issues concerning division of powers.