The idea of a “combined opposition” is no longer feasible in Karnataka, according to former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, who stressed that any support to the Congress at this point was a foregone issue.

Gowda told DH that the regional party will go solo to face the crucial December 5 byelections, with the Congress having completely cut itself off from the regional party after the coalition debacle.

“Siddaramaiah himself has said that there is no coalition anymore. I cannot go knocking on people’s doors. What happened during the coalition and how H D Kumaraswamy suffered, people have understood enough. Anyone will tell you that without me having to emphasise it,” the JD(S) patriarch said.

All these factors clearly established that the idea of a combined Opposition would only hurt the regional party, Gowda said. This assumes significance as it was this very concept, of “secular forces” joining hands, that brought the two parties together to form a coalition and fight the Lok Sabha elections together.

It is already out in the open that Gowda and Siddaramaiah, who once made a mentor-protege due, still have bad blood for each other.  Gowda said even during the coalition government, the Congress faltered on its promise that it would allow the JD(S) to run the government freely.

They insisted on their choices, Gowda said, citing the example of how Siddaramaiah “thwarted” the party’s proposition to appoint its senior leader Basavaraj Horatti as a minister. “First they said you are free to govern for five years. Then the troubles came. That’s the true story,” Gowda lamented.

And now, Gowda said the Congress blamed the JD(S) solely for the failure of the coalition, referring to a fact-finding exercise the Congress commissioned to find reasons behind the Lok Sabha election debacle. 

The JD(S) is keenly awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court case pertaining to the disqualification of rebel legislators. 

“If the Supreme Court decision calls for bypolls, the party will fight on its own without bothering about victory and loss,” Gowda said.