Gowda to remote control BJP

JD(S) takes U-turn, offers "conditional" support

The backstreet driving has begun, even before the drive to the Vidhana Soudha has begun! Even as the Presidential decks remain to be cleared for the return of the BJP-JD(S) government at the State, JD(S) supreme HD Deve Gowda has made his intentions of keeping the remote control in his hands. According to reports, in his letter to the BJP national president, Rajnath Singh, he has imposed a string of conditions for supporting the BJP-led government, after promising ‘unconditional’ support a few days ago. Here’s a gist of some of the conditions that are sure to queer the pitch for the saffron party, and why they are bound to keep the new government on crutches from day one:

• Allotment of portfolios to ministers should be done in consultations with Kumaraswamy, contrary to the earlier agreement that the parties swap portfolios held by them in the previous tenure.
A clear reneging of the original pact. Will this lend stability or add to the chaos?

• The Government should provide protection to minorities and Dalits.
(WHICH party would say they won’t??)

• Kumaraswamy should be consulted on important administrative postings and promotions in respect of top officials to maintain quality administration.
In other words, the government would be headed by a lame duck CM with no power to choose his own officers.

• As far as possible, the state cabinet shall recommend for dissolution of the House in the event of dissolution of the current Lok Sabha or the term of the present Union Cabinet ending, so that the state may go to elections at the same time allowing parties to contest independently.
The elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies are not co-terminus and there is nothing in law or otherwise that states they have to be held simultaneously. So what is the real reason for such a condition?

• No minister, legislator or leader of the respective parties should level charges against each other.
This is understandable, given the hullabaloo over the charges of corruption and worse, leveled by BJP MLC G Janardhana Reddy on the Gowda clan. But does this justify imposing a censor on the freedom of the legislators? When X from one party gets to know Y from the other party is corrupt, should he keep mum? In which case, the public will only suspect that the loot is being shared by both.

• If there are any grievances, these are to be discussed through their leaders in the coordination committee, which has to be formed with leaders from both sides and resolved.
Nice try. No one is going to be fooled by this.

• Set up an overseeing committee, meetings of which will be presided over by Kumaraswamy to periodically review programme implementation.
It only goes to show the trust and faith he has over his alliance partner.