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Karnataka: BJP MP hints at discontent in stateunit, alleges adjustment politics
BJP MP Pratap Simha hints discontent in party’s Karnataka unit after debacle in assembly elections last month
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Mysuru-Kodagu, Pratap Simha hinted discontent in the state BJP unit after its debacle in the state assembly election last month. He alleged “adjustment politics” or an understanding between some BJP leaders and a faction of Congress in the state.
While talking to the reporters in Mysuru on Tuesday, the two-time MP said that some senior BJP leaders seem to have joined hands and have had a secret pact with chief minister Siddaramaiah in not questioning the government over its schemes.
“This is common among a few senior leaders, both within Congress and BJP. They seem to have agreed not to question each other. When the BJP was in power, they threatened Congress with Arkavathi denotification scam and other allegations. Now with the Congress in power, they are threatening the BJP leaders with 40% commission, Bitcoin scam and other allegations. But in reality, leaders from both the parties just make noise without investigating any of the allegations,” Simha alleged.
Without naming any BJP leader, he said he suspected “adjustment politics” with Siddaramaiah, adding that the party lost the elections because of “some of its leaders”. Even though a few party leaders had joined hands with the Congress, Simha said, the BJP workers had not. “BJP workers won’t indulge in such politics, but only senior leaders are capable of doing this.”
Simha is not the only BJP leader to blame the party’s debacle on “adjustment and compromise politics” by certain BJP leaders. Last week, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi also blamed his party colleagues for the defeat. “We have lost power because of our mistakes. The leaders have compromised and because of a few of them, the party lost power. I won’t name the leaders, but adjustment politics exists and it has resulted in defeat of the party,” he had stated.
Former minister MTB Nagaraj, who lost in Hoskote also blamed his own party members for his defeat and the party’s debacle in the assembly elections.
The Karnataka BJP unit recently conducted a meeting to decipher reasons for the party’s defeat in the assembly election. Some party workers are said to have suggested that certain party members worked against their own candidates. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai also came under fire for failing to counter the Congress party’s ‘40% sarkara, PayCM’ campaigns and guarantee schemes.
Responding to Simha’s statement, Siddaramaiah said Simha doesn’t know what he’s talking. “He should say who is involved in adjustment politics. He must know who they are, let provide details,” the chief minister said.
Health minister Dinesh Gundurao retorted, “Pratap Simha should not just talk, let him clearly state who has joined hands with whom.” HC Mahadevappa also responded to the allegations and said that Simha’s words have no value or weight, adding that there is no need to pay attention to his words.
Meanwhile, the BJP high command has not been able to appoint a leader of the opposition in the assembly and the council even after a month of declaration of election results. People familiar with the matter said that former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, along with senior leaders Basangouda Patil Yatnal and Arvind Bellad, are among the contenders for the position of leader of the opposition in the assembly.
The recent statements by former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda also showed that all is not well within the party. Earlier this month, after a section of the media had reported that 13 incumbent MPs of the BJP, including Gowda, would not get the party ticket to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a visibly upset Gowda urged the party’s state and central leadership to intervene and counter such reports.
Political expert Chambi Puranik said the recent events show that all is not well within the BJP and that the party has failed to learn from its poll debacle. “It shows that all is not well in the BJP and that the election debacle has not taught any lesson to top leaders. The party has still not elected the leader of opposition. The present BJP state president could not even take the responsibility for the poll defeat and resign from the post. It has shown that it is not even a vocal opposition,” Puranik said.
“BJP has failed in taking lessons, making corrections and is finding excuses for its defeat. It looks all the more disorganised and demoralised,” Puranik added.
