In Karnataka, Congress-JDS alliance feels first strains

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jun 27, 2018 : The newly formed Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka is feeling its first strains as the coalition partners get down to the business of governance while simultaneously attempting to create distinct identities. The Congress is attempting to safeguard populist programmes it unveiled between 2013 and 2018 under former chief minister Siddaramaiah even as incumbent chief minister from JDS H D Kumaraswamy tries to create an impression by unveiling populist initiatives in his first budget next month.

 

Siddaramaiah, chairman of the co-ordination committee of the coalition government, has emerged as the rallying point for the Congress’s efforts to preserve its legacy in the absence of a local party leadership that is independent of the government.

Among the sticking points that have emerged is the Congress’s resistance to initiation of a fresh budget by Kumaraswamy since Siddaramaiah came out with a budget ahead of the assembly elections in May. The former chief minister was heard expressing dissatisfaction over JDS’s efforts to come out with a new budget in a leaked conversation with some of his supporters. Siddaramaiah is heard stating in the video that the new government must present a supplementary budget instead of a fresh budget. He is also heard questioning state Congress president and deputy chief minister G Parameshwara’s support to the new budget.

Kumaraswamy has indicated that he has the approval of Congress president Rahul Gandhi in presenting a full budget and has also stated that existing programmes of the erstwhile Congress government would be continued. “This is a new coalition government. It is a practice for any new government to table its own budget,” JDS national president H D Devegowda said Tuesday.

Another sticking point between the Congress and the JDS is Kumaraswamy’s efforts to announce a farm loan waiver even as Siddaramaiah has favoured continuation of programmes like granting allowances to dry land farmers rather than a loan waiver.

Sources in the JDS said differences over government policies were not creating strain in the new government. “It is being seen as the Congress’s effort to assert itself and an attempt by the Siddaramaiah group to assert itself in the party after the loss of power in the election,’’ a JDS source said.

With the Congress-JDS coalition passing a confidence vote last month, no fresh vote of confidence can be taken up for another six months and no party is keen to afford dramatic developments in run-up to the 2019 parliament elections, JDS sources said.

There has been speculation that the BJP, which has 104 seats, may attempt to capitalise on differences between the Congress and JDS — especially after state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa rushed to meet party president Amit Shah in Gujarat Monday.

However, Yeddyurappa on Tuesday said, “There is some confusion with Siddaramaiah making some statements and Kumaraswamy making another statement. I have requested our leaders to silently observe the developments and not intervene.” He indicated that his meeting with Shah was to chart a plan for the BJP in Karnataka for the 2019 parliamentary elections.


courtesy:IE