By IANS
Bangalore/New Delhi : Senior Karnataka Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader M.P. Prakash Wednesday won the backing of former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for his efforts to form a government with the Congress, but now faces the daunting task of convincing his party president H.D. Deve Gowda.
Prakash, home minister in the Kumaraswamy ministry that fell early this month after ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew support, Tuesday met Congress leaders in New Delhi for talks on government formation to avoid early polls to the state assembly.
The 225-member assembly is now under suspended animation and the state under president’s rule following the collapse of the Kumaraswamy ministry. Coalition junior partner BJP pulled out of the ministry angered over Kumaraswamy’s refusal to hand over power to it as agreed between the two parties 20 months back.
Prakash’s mission to Delhi did not have Deve Gowda’s sanction and even Kumaraswamy had expressed unhappiness over the move Wednesday morning.
A visibly angry Gowda told reporters that he had not authorized Prakash to hold talks with anybody on government formation.
Kumaraswamy expressed surprise at Prakash’s move and said that he might have gone to Delhi on a personal visit.
However, after talks with Prakash in the evening, Kumaraswamy softened his opposition, saying the former home minister had the authority to explore options to avoid early polls. A majority of 51 JD-S legislators also opposes any early polls to the state assembly.
Prakash told Kumaraswamy and other senior leaders that he received positive response from Congress leaders. He met union home minister Shivraj Patil, Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Prithviraj Chauhan, and senior leader Motilal Vora Tuesday.
Prakash said he will meet Deve Gowda soon to brief him about his talks with the Congress, and will try to win his support to form a government with the Congress, 20 months after Kumaraswamy brought down the first Congress/JD-S coalition government formed after the May 2004 assembly polls.
Congress sources said their party will seriously consider Prakash’s efforts only if he can muster enough number of JD-S legislators or get a firm assurance from Deve Gowda that the coalition will not be brought down again like in February 2006.
Kumaraswamy had walked out with 49 JD-S legislators, accusing the Congress of attempt to destroy his party, and formed the alliance with the BJP to become chief minister on the understanding that he will vacate his post for the BJP after 20 months.
The 20-month period expired on October 3 and since he did not honour his word, the BJP pulled out of the alliance. That forced Kumaraswamy to quit on October 8.
The state was placed under president’s rule on October 9 and the assembly was kept under suspended animation, giving rise to speculation that the Congress central leadership may be interested in forming an alternative government.
The Congress in Karnataka is sharply divided over joining hands with the JD-S again after the bitter experience 20 months back.
One section is firmly opposed to trusting Gowda and his son Kumaraswamy, while another wants the tie-up to avoid early polls as the BJP might benefit from the possible sympathy of the people over ‘betrayal’ by the JD-S.
State Congress president Mallikharjun Kharge said the party high command had not asked for response on Prakash’s efforts. “If asked, my response will be that we should go for elections,” he told reporters.
However, his party colleague and former chief minister Dharam Singh did not see anything wrong in Prakash making efforts at an alternative government to avoid early polls.
“The final decision is left to the high command,” he said.
Any decision of the Congress high command is unlikely before the end of this month as party president Sonia Gandhi will be away in China for a few days from October 25.
Meanwhile, the BJP too tempted disgruntled JD-S legislators, saying if they can keep the Gowda family out, the party would consider forming a government with their support.