Karnataka saw polling for 15 assembly seats on Thursday in by-elections that are crucial for the survival of the Bharatiya Janata Party government. The BJP came to power because 17 MLAs from the-then ruling Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress combine resigned and brought down the strength of the assembly. It was only then that the saffron party’s 105 legislators made a majority.
But after the bypolls, the strength of the assembly will be back to 222 (elections for two more seats are yet to be notified, as there are pending court cases in those constituencies). So the BJP needs at least 111 to make it to the halfway mark. Little wonder then that the party is scrambling to retain power.
To the temple, by chopper
Counting is scheduled for December 9, and one day ahead of that, chief minister BS Yediyurappa is going to the holy town of Dharmasthala, for a darshan (sighting) of Lord Manjunatha – a deity revered by many politicians across Karnataka. Yediyurappa has a lot at stake here. Not only are the disqualified MLAs facing a trial by fire, as they will doubtless be judged for having forced a by-election on the people and are facing allegations of having sold their loyalties, but their win or loss will decide the fate of the government too.
Yediyurappa will be hopping onto a helicopter on Sunday to Dharmasthala for a 45-minute darshan trip, before going on to another official programme, and returning to Bengaluru an hour later.
EVM, pranaams!
If the chief minister is going to a temple to pray, his party's candidate decided to pray to the electronic voting machine (EVM) itself.
Byrathi Basavaraj, who is among the disqualified MLAs of the Congress trying his luck on a BJP ticket this time from the KR Puram constituency, was caught on camera paying obeisance with folded hands to the machine. He had gone into the booth to cast his vote, and decided to first seek the EVM's blessing instead, before he voted.
A vote for Rs 50!
For all the hype that the run-up to the bypolls saw, the voter turnout was lacklustre in most places.
But the desperation of the parties was quite evident, when scenes like BJP workers falling at the feet of voters around polling booths in Yeshwantpura were witnessed.
One elderly woman was offered money outside a polling booth in Kalkere, KR Puram – she folded up the currency note in the folds of her sari, and when reporters quizzed her about what she got, all she said was: “Fifty rupees, that's all!” Asked if others are paid more, she retorted, “I think they pay more money to others, he probably thought I was lowly and I didn't deserve more!”
Money, necessity and more
This election has been all about money – starting from the Congress and JD(S) allegations as early as four months back, that their MLAs were “bought” for a price by the BJP, forcing an election on the people.
Former Lokayukta and Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde, who is a voter in the Shivajinagar constituency, had this to say after voting: “This is an unnecessary election; why would people come and vote for a mid-term election like this? When a representative resigns, voters must hold that person responsible.”
The return of the runaway
Thursday began with a press conference first thing in the morning for Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao. He wanted to announce the return of one of the party's corporators from Bengaluru city, who had shifted loyalties to the BJP just three days back.
Corporator of the Sampangiramnagar ward Vasanth Kumar presented himself at the ‘ghar-wapsi’ presser, with a ready story: “The BJP’s MLA Vishwanath (SR Vishwanath, who is political secretary to chief minister Yediyurappa) said he wanted me to join him for coffee. When I went with him, he took me straight to Yediyurappa's house. I was not aware of where he was going. But I have not gone against my party, I am very much with Congress now.”
His ward falls under the Shivajinagar assembly segment.
Partymen later told us that he was probably lured with promise of some money, and he has a special place in his heart for horse-racing... but something perhaps went awry at some point. Enough for him to come back to the fold in two days, just as polling got underway.
Truly, anything can happen over a cup of coffee!
Homecoming of the missing MP
All through the campaign of the last three weeks, one conspicuous absence in the BJP has been its MP from Chikkaballapur BN Bache Gowda.
Gowda’s son Sharath had contested (and lost) the assembly election in 2018 against Congress’s MTB Nagaraj from the Hoskote seat.
With Nagaraj shifting loyalty from the Congress, and the BJP fielding him, Sharath wasn't amused.
Sharath, who had lost by 7,000 votes the last time, was even offered the post of chairman of the Karnataka Housing Board to placate him and ensure he doesn't rebel. However, it didn't work, and he is contesting as an independent candidate against Nagaraj, and has even got the backing of the JD(S) which didn’t field a candidate to support him.
The senior Bache Gowda, who could obviously not campaign for the BJP candidate Nagaraj then, has kept away from Karnataka through most of November. He has told constituents that he was busy with the Parliament session.
On Thursday, just before polling ended however, Papa Bache Gowda was present and voting. Any guesses who he voted for?
'Siddaramaiah, next'
Amid a by-election necessitated entirely by political defections, if there was one MLA who stood out as main strategist from the 'rebels' or 'disqualified' camp, it was Ramesh Jarkiholi.
Ramesh, the eldest of five Jarkiholi brothers, is contesting on a BJP ticket from Gokak and is said to have been instrumental in convincing many others from the Congress to rebel against the party in June. He is said to have been promised to be made the water resources minister once he wins.
The Congress has pitted his own youngest brother Lakhan Jarkiholi against him in this seat.
Going in to vote on Thursday morning, an irrepressible Ramesh told mediapersons gathered outside: “I will get Siddaramaiah to join the BJP too, soon!”
Former CM Siddaramaiah, who is the leader of the opposition in the assembly and has been campaigning aggressively against the rebels the past three weeks, was taken aback, and retorted: "Stop making such irresponsible statements!"
All in a day's work, all in a day's work!
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