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Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s connection that the Congress’s doors are unfastened for Janata Dal (Secular) workers appears to beryllium a cautiously drafted connection aimed astatine reshaping Karnataka’s governmental scenery successful the aboriginal days of his tenure.
The contiguous accusation is an effort to gully grassroots workers of the JD(S), peculiarly successful the Old Mysore region, wherever the Congress and the JD(S) traditionally vie for the aforesaid Vokkaliga ballot bank.
By addressing workers successful his Kanakapura constituency connected Sunday, Mr. Shivakumar is signalling that the Congress is consenting to accommodate section JD(S) leaders and cadre who consciousness sidelined aft the BJP-JD(S) alliance.
In the past fewer years, respective leaders discontinue the JD(S) and became Congress MLAs, and this led to the crisp autumn of the JD(S) seats from 37 successful 2018 to 19 successful the 2023 Assembly elections. Its ballot stock excessively dipped from 18.3% to 13.39% during the period.
The remark was viewed arsenic an aboriginal governmental violative by Mr. Shivakumar to execute 3 objectives — further weakening the JD(S), consolidating Vokkaliga enactment nether the Congress, and strengthening the Congress’s organisational basal up of the 2028 elections.
Consolidating space
As the archetypal Vokkaliga Chief Minister from the Congress successful 2 decades, Mr. Shivakumar is seeking to look arsenic the main governmental person of the community. The JD(S) has historically relied connected Vokkaliga support, peculiarly successful confederate Karnataka. If adjacent a conception of the JD(S) workers displacement allegiance to the Congress, it could accelerate the erosion of the JD(S)’s accepted base.
The connection seemingly serves arsenic a governmental connection to Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Coming conscionable 4 days aft Mr. Shivakumar assumed office, it suggests that the Congress intends to grow into areas wherever the JD(S) has remained influential. The timing is important due to the fact that the JD(S) is already facing unit to clasp its individuality wrong the BJP alliance.
Amid the ongoing governmental slugfest betwixt the 2 leaders connected the Bidadi township project, the Chief Minister’s entreaty to JD(S) workers was to spot him arsenic a person alternatively than an adversary.
He besides reminded the JD(S) that the Congress had supported the erstwhile by forming an alliance in 2018 to support the BJP retired of power.
Disrupting calculations
The Vokkaliga leader’s elevation to the apical station has the imaginable to disrupt the strategy of some the JD(S) and the BJP. Traditionally, the BJP’s spot has been successful the Lingayat loop successful North Karnataka, and it has planned to marque deeper inroads into the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysore portion successful confederation with the JD(S) arsenic good arsenic fielding its ain candidates.
Mr. Shivakumar becoming the Chief Minister has seemingly analyzable that calculation for the Opposition. The BJP was readying to grow its footprint beyond its accepted strongholds by appointing R. Ashok arsenic Leader of the Opposition successful the Aseembly. But Mr. Shivakumar’s elevation is expected to airs a caller situation to the saffron party.
The JD(S) excessively is expected to look galore hurdles. Now, Mr. Shivakumar wields authorization and is expected to interruption this domination of the JD(S) successful the portion done assorted authorities decisions to woo the community. Already the sanction of Ramanagara has been changed to Bengaluru South district, and much specified decisions whitethorn beryllium expected.
Now, the JD(S) needs to rework strategy to support its halfway constituency by broadening organisational enlargement and cadre mobilisation. The Chief Minister’s occurrence would beryllium connected however galore JD(S) leaders deliberation that their governmental aboriginal lies with the ruling Congress alternatively than Mr. Kumaraswamy’s party.
